WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is warning Americans to brace for a “rough two-week period” ahead as the White House is releasing new projections that there could be 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the U.S. from the coronavirus pandemic even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained.
Public health officials stress that the number could be less if people change their behavior. Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, says, “We really believe we can do a lot better than that” if all Americans take seriously their role in preventing the spread of disease.