Authorities are not seeing spikes in coronavirus cases in places that are reopening but are seeing increases in some areas that remain closed, US health secretary Alex Azar said on Sunday.
โWe are seeing that in places that are opening, weโre not seeing this spike in cases,โ Azar said on CNNโs โState of the Unionโ program. โWe still see spikes in some areas that are in fact close to very localized situations.โ
Azar put the onus on reopening struggles on local governments.
โThese are very localized determinations. There should not be a one size fits all to reopening but reopen we must because itโs not health versus the economy. Itโs health versus healthy,โ he said, adding there were serious health consequences to not reopening.
Asked about images being broadcast from some areas of the country showing people gathering near bars and congregating close together, Azar said that was the cost of freedom.
โI think in any individual instance youโre going to see people doing things that are irresponsible. Thatโs part of the freedom that we have here in America,โ he said on CNN.
REUTERS