President Donald Trump extends 'social distancing' mandate to Apr. 30; expects great things by June

President Donald Trump had hoped to get people in most parts of the country back to work by Easter - Sunday, April 12.

However, with limited supplies to combat the novel coronavirus and rampant spread, especially in larger urban areas, the president announced at a coronavirus task force meeting Sunday that he would be extending social distancing protocols.

The President said more details will be available Tuesday, although the mandate does not supersede more strict enforcement at local levels. Louisiana is currently under a 'stay at home' order, which is a more strict form of social distancing - the rules can be found at the end of this article.

Good practices for social distancing and hygiene include:

• No gatherings of 10 or more
• Wash hands for 20 seconds or more
• Sneeze and cough into a tissue or elbow
• Disinfect common surfaces
• Maintain six feet or more between yourself and others in public
• Isolate yourself if sick, call your doctor

"(The number of new cases) should start coming down, hopefully very substantially at that point," Trump said Sunday. He added that his administration was extending the guidelines to avoid a catastrophic death toll.

The comments come two days after Trump signed a $2.3 trillion economic stimulus package, looking to deliver money directly to individuals, raise unemployment, and provide loan opportunities for businesses.

He has also tapped the 'Defense Production Act,' specifically for car manufacturers like Ford Motor Company, to help make new personal protective equipment (PPE), and ventilators.

President Trump did say that he expects 'great things' from the economy by June 1st, although he was not specific on what those will be.

Dr. Deborah Birx said that the task force knows these provisions are a "huge sacrifice for everyone" and explained that the decision to extend the guidelines "was not made lightly."

Earlier Sunday, task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci joined CNN and stated that he anticipates the coronavirus could kill between 100,000 and 200,000 Americans while infecting "millions," but Fauci added the outbreak is difficult to model in such early stages.

Fauci said later that he believed extending the date for social distancing was a "prudent" move by the president.

The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, spiked to 3,540 positive cases in Louisiana, according to the latest figures from the Department of Health.

Across the state, the death toll from the novel coronavirus reached 151, up by 14 from the previous day, according to the Department of Health. Due to the growth, the governor expects the state's battle against COVID-19 to last "for awhile."

However, Gov. John Bel Edwards urged residents not to celebrate too soon. It is his belief that a backlog of tests from the previous week had been released, and to be vigilant with regard to the numbers that are released Monday and Tuesday.

The governor also became tense when discussing reports of large gatherings that go against his 'stay at home' order.

"To go out and live as if everything is normal is the height of selfishness," the governor said.

The 'stay at home' order issued by the governor was to expire, initially, on Apr. 13. The governor said with the continued case and death growth, as well as reports of large gatherings, Louisiana residents should not be surprised if that date is extended.

"Information on the ground, as well as modeling, may cause that date to be extended," the governor said Sunday, "I have a briefing with healthcare experts (Sunday) afternoon to get a better idea of what we're facing."

The governor said that his administration would not be enforcing these measures specifically with consequences, although local law enforcement may choose to do so.

Governor Edwards continues to emphasize social distancing and mitigation efforts, even putting a "stay at home" order into effect to try and express the potential issues that could be caused by this virus.

The stay at home order still allows residents to:

1. Go to grocery or warehouse stores
2. Pickup food from restaurants
3. Go to pharmacies
4. Go to the doctor's office, should the doctor allow it

You can also:

1. Care for or support a friend or family member
2. Take a walk, ride your bike, hike, jog and be in nature for exercise - just keep at least six feet between you and others
3. Walk your pets and take them to veterinarian if necessary
4. Help someone to get necessary supplies 
5. Receive deliveries from any business which delivers

The governor's office says you should not:

1. Go to work unless you are providing essential services defined by this order
2. Visit friends and family if there is no urgent need
3. Maintain less than 6 feet of distance from others when you go out
4. Visited loved ones in the hospital, nursing home, skilled nursing facility or other residential care facility

The difference between "stay at home" and "social distancing" is that stay at home is a more strict version. It means:

• Stay at home is a stricter form of social distancing
• Only go out for essential services
• Stay six feet away or more from others
• Don't gather in groups of 10 or more

The governor wanted to emphasize that these measures weren't "quarantine" - residents could still utilize essential services and would not be restricted to home at all times.

Good practices for social distancing and hygiene include:

• No gatherings of 10 or more
• Wash hands for 20 seconds or more
• Sneeze and cough into a tissue or elbow
• Disinfect common surfaces

Those who are essential must go to work, but individuals who can work from home are asked to do so. Businesses should limit their interaction with the public as much as possible.

The Governor updated his public health emergency proclamation to include the following: