Coronavirus

Trump Administration Refuses To Publish CDC Guidelines On Reopening

The 17-page guide was supposed to be published last week.

Trump Administration Refuses To Publish CDC Guidelines On Reopening
Alex Brandon / AP
SMS

The Trump administration is refusing to publish a guide by a group of top disease experts detailing how to best reopen businesses.

According to the Associated Press, an anonymous official from the CDC says agency scientists were told the report "would never see the light of day."

The 17-page guide, which was supposed to be published last Friday, offered specific safety recommendations for restaurants, schools, churches and other public places to reopen. The guidelines said restaurants should use disposable plates, cups and cutlery, and install sneeze guards at registers. Churches and other businesses should encourage patrons to wear face masks, and schools should have students eat lunch in their classroom.

The White House published its own guide last month, but it's said to be more vague than the CDC recommendations. As the AP points out, the Trump administration has had more authority over what information the CDC releases during the pandemic — a shift from how the agency usually functions.

Additional reporting by Jason Dearen and Mike Stobbe of the Associated Press.