Senior Pentagon leaders said on Tuesday that the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak that has hit the United States could continue for months and that the military would continue to support efforts to counter it for as long as needed.
The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 660 people in the United States and infected more than 50,000.
“WE ARE TAKING ALL PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES”
“I think we need to plan for this to be a few months long at least and we’re taking all precautionary measures to do that,” US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said when asked how long the outbreak may last and how long the military would continue the support efforts to counter it.
“I am fully confident that at the end of the day, in a period of months, we will get through this,” Esper said during a virtual town hall.
At the same event, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army General Mark Milley, said that while it was unclear how long the outbreak would last, taking models from the experience of other countries – which may or may not apply to the United States – the outbreak could last into July.
“If it does apply, you’re looking at probably late May, June, something in that range, could be as late as July,” Milley said.
On Monday, Esper announced more security restrictions on those entering the Pentagon. The building has seen a drop in the number of people coming into work since measures to combat the outbreak started, with many of them teleworking.