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Keller @ Large: Ed Markey Says Country Currently 'Unprepared' To Reopen Amid Coronavirus

BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey said President Donald Trump would be leaving the country "unprepared" if he rushes to reopen the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Markey told WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller that he has concerns over the president's comments that about 29 states could be in position to reopen by May 1.

"We need three things to reopen. One, we need adequate testing, and we don't have that," said Markey. "Number two, we need adequate contact tracing, and we don't have that. And three, we need adequate personal protective equipment for all of our frontline workers in the United States, not just Boston, not just Massachusetts, but the whole country. And we don't have that either. If the president is planning on some massive opening in the next couple weeks, then he's going into it leaving America unprepared."

Keller @ Large: Part 2

 

Markey said the country is facing such economic turmoil in part because Trump waited too long to issue stay-at-home guidelines.

"Right now testing, contact tracing, PPE just aren't available in the numbers that are absolutely indispensable to making sure we don't see this whole issue reoccur over and over again in our country because we tried to do this opening too quickly," said Markey.

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