Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) cast doubt Friday on President Trump’s hope to reopen the economy by Easter, at least in the Bay State, citing information from public health experts and healthcare providers.
“The information we’re getting from public health experts and from healthcare providers here in Massachusetts — yeah, no,” Baker said during Friday’s press conference. “We’re not going to be up and running by Easter, no.”
The doubt comes as he continues to pursue aggressive measures in his state, including a stay-at-home order and the closure of nonessential businesses. He is also urging all travelers entering Massachusetts — no matter where they are coming from — to self-isolate for 14 days.
Trump, however, has expressed optimism, telling Fox News’s Bill Hemmer this week that he would like to see the U.S. economy reopened by Easter, April 12.
“I would love to have the country opened up and rearing to go by Easter,” Trump said.
“That would be a great American resurrection,” Hemmer remarked.
Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the administration’s coronavirus task force, described Easter as an “aspirational goal” and acknowledged that it could look different in certain areas of the country, specifically those hit particularly hard by the virus.
“The president said he would love to see it around Easter, but whenever that day is that we can responsibly begin to open up portions of the country,” Pence told CNBC.
“But let me be very clear, there’s going to be areas of the country where we need to continue to lean into mitigation efforts,” he added.
Massachusetts currently has more than 3,200 confirmed cases of the virus.
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