By Syed Sajid Aziz in USA
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
The US President, Donald Trump, has ordered the states to allow churches to re-open from stay-at-home restrictions imposed to combat the coronavirus outbreak, vowing override any governor who refused.
"The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now. If they don't do it I will override the governors. Churches would be declared essential services under CDC guidelines,” President Trump said in a statement while talking to reporters at the White House.
It, however, remained unclear if the US President had the power to override state orders to close churches or limit the size of services.
He has shown increasing exasperation with state social distancing regulations that have collapsed the US economy, as he desired Americans to return to normal economic and social life.
The recommendations for restarting activities by religious organizations weren't part of the CDC suggestions for opening workplaces, schools and restaurants released over the weekend, though they had been included in a draft first reported by the Associated Press.
The communication had given detailed suggestions for social distancing, hygienic practices and symptom-checking that were in many cases tailored to the organization and its activities.
