Coronavirus could last until August "or later" -Trump

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A change in tone and guidelines from U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, as coronavirus fears gripped the country.

(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“My administration is recommending that all Americans including the young and healthy engage in schooling from home when possible, avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people, avoid discretionary travel, and avoid eating and drinking in bars and restaurants and public food courts.”

And in a sober reckoning, Trump said the crisis may last months.

(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"People are talking about July, August, something like that. So it could be right in that period of time. I say it washes through, people don't like that term, but would wash through..."

But Trump added that there could be a "dramatic" change in the spread if Americans follow the new guidelines.

Those also include not going to public gyms and halting most social activities for 15 days.

Normally, a cheerleader for the U.S. economy, Trump acknowledged the possibility of a recession, while brushing off another historic decline for stock markets Monday as investors worried about the virus.

(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"We're not thinking in terms of recession, we're thinking in terms of the virus. Once we stop, I think there is tremendous pent up demand both in terms of the stock market and in terms of the economy. And once this goes away, once it goes through and we're done with it, I think you are going to see a tremendous surge."

The president has taken criticism for playing down the seriousness of the virus in the early days of the U.S. outbreak.

On Monday, when asked to rate his response to the virus on a scale of 1 to 10, he gave himself...

(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"I'd rate it a '10.' I think we've done a great job."

Trump also said he hoped to avoid nationwide travel restrictions and that a national curfew was not under consideration at this point.