US plans to stand down COVID-19 task force

US President Donald Trump says the White House will wind down its coronavirus task force as his administration shifts its focus on reopening the economy.

"We can't keep our country closed for the next five years," Trump said Tuesday. "Will some people be affected? yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get it opened."

The special inter-agency task force, headed by Vice President Mike Pence, was created to help manage the pandemic as it spread rapidly throughout the US.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's leading infectious diseases expert and most prominent member of the COVID-19 task force, will continue to be an adviser, Trump said. Fauci has become a household name and is seen as a trusted source for information in the pandemic.

The US has the highest COVID-19 death toll in the world, with more than 71,000 confirmed fatalities. Scientific models suggest that that number of deaths could double by August.

The move to dismantle the task force was swiftly criticized, particularly by those within the medical community. Dr. Syra Madad, noted the virus response team is being disbanded despite continuing spike in cases.