Trump unveils three-stage process for states to end shutdown

U.S. President Donald Trump proposed guidelines on Thursday under which state governors could act to revive the U.S. economy from its coronavirus shutdown in a staggered, three-stage process.

Speaking at his daily briefing on the coronavirus, which has killed more than 32,600 Americans in a matter of weeks, Trump argued that a prolonged shutdown could be deeply harmful to the U.S. economy and society.

"We are not opening all at once, but one careful step at a time," Trump told reporters, without himself providing details on his guidelines.

The new federal guidelines recommend that states record a 14-day "downward trajectory" in coronavirus cases before beginning a three-phase process of re-opening.

The document lays out Trump's plan for opening businesses in states across the country that have been ravaged by the pandemic and its economic impact even though the responsibility for such decisions lies with state, not federal, authorities.

Before states re-open, hospitals should have a "robust testing program" that includes antibody testing in place for healthcare workers, the guidelines say.