Can Trump reopen the economy by the May 1 deadline amid warnings?

People wearing protective masks walk past closed shops on the Coney Island boardwalk during the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., April 11, 2020. /Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump will make a number of "key, vital" announcements about reopening the U.S. economy in the next day or two, his top economic adviser said on Tuesday.

The president had mentioned he wanted to reopen economy for several times.

Trump hopes country will be reopened by Easter amid outbreak

"In the next few days, he will be making some very important announcements regarding those (social-distancing) guidelines," National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said.

"We want to get folks back to work," he added. "We want to do it as quickly as possible. It has to be safe. It has to be driven by the data from our health specialists."

Nurses gather for a candlelight vigil to honor healthcare workers, during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx borough of New York City, U.S., April 14, 2020. /Reuters

The director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Wednesday he believes 19 or 20 U.S. states have had limited impact from the novel coronavirus and their governors believe they may be ready to reopen by Trump's May 1 target date.

"There are a number of counties within this country that have not experienced really any coronavirus despite testing," Robert Redfield said in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America."

Meanwhile, some U.S. media reported that a team of government officials – led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the CDC – has created a public health strategy to combat the novel coronavirus and reopen parts of the country.

The plan offers guidance for local and state governments on how to reopen the country safely and in phases, according to the media reports.

However, medical experts are not so "optimistic" about the re-opening.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert, said Tuesday the U.S. does not yet have the critical testing and tracing procedures needed to begin reopening the nation's economy.

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing in the Rose Garden at the White House, Washington, U.S., April 14, 2020. /Reuters

Fauci pointed out that a May 1 target is "a bit overly optimistic" for many areas of the country. Any easing off the strict social-distancing rules in place in much of the country would have to occur on a "rolling" basis.

"I'll guarantee you, once you start pulling back there will be infections. It's how you deal with the infections that's going count," the experts warned.

Trump said at his daily White House briefing Monday evening that he was close to completing a plan for ending America's coronavirus shutdown, which has thrown millions out of work, and may forge ahead with restarting the battered U.S. economy in some parts of the country even before May 1.

(With input from agencies)