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Trump says coronavirus task force will shift focus to 'safety and opening up our country again'

Trump says coronavirus task force will shift focus to 'safety and opening up our country again'
Posted at 6:43 AM, May 06, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-06 10:06:01-04

President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that the White House's coronavirus task force will "continue on indefinitely" and instead shift its focus to "safety" and economic recovery.

Trump added that "the Task Force will also be very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics."

Trump's tweets come a day after Vice President Mike Pence, the head of the task force, said the team could wind down its work by early June.

Trump has pushed for states to lift restrictions on non-essential businesses in an effort to restart the economy as new cases of the virus have plateaued in cities in recent weeks. However, Trump's push comes as there is evidence that the virus is on the rise in rural areas.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that new polling suggests Americans widely oppose the reopening of most businesses amid the pandemic.