White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow has predicted that no second wave of coronavirus is coming in the United States — though another adviser says officials are preparing for a potential second wave.
On a Monday CNBC appearance, Kudlow downplayed concerns over rising COVID-19 cases in numerous states, including some that have reached single-day records like Arizona and Florida.
"There are some hot spots," Kudlow said. "We're on it. We know how to deal with this stuff now. ... There is no second wave coming. It's just, you know, hot spots."
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Overall, Kudlow, who in early March claimed that COVID-19 was "contained" in the U.S. and said Americans "should stay at work," argued the U.S. is in a "pretty good situation."
But recently, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro told CNN the Trump administration is preparing for a potential second wave in the fall and "filling the stockpile in anticipation of a possible problem," though he didn't predict that one would definitely occur.
"You prepare for what can possibly happen," Navarro said. "I'm not saying it's going to happen, but of course you prepare."
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has stressed that the rising COVID-19 cases in some states aren't indicative of a second wave because "we still are in the first wave." As far as whether a second wave will definitely hit in the fall, Fauci recently told The Washington Post that it's "not inevitable" depending on whether the right steps are taken when "blips of infection" pop up.
"We want to get that first wave down," Fauci said. "Then we'll see if we can keep it there." Brendan Morrow
