Trump releases a three-step reopening of the U.S. economy

U.S. President Donald Trump proposed guidelines on Thursday under which U.S. state governors could act to revive the U.S. economy from its coronavirus shutdown in a staggered, three-stage process.

Gavino Garay has more.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYING: "We are not opening all at once, but one careful step at a time." U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday released his coronavirus task force's three-phase plan for reopening the U.S. economy.

Thursday's recommendations leave it up to individual states to decide when to reopen, a major about face for the president -SO -- days after claiming he had total authority.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYING: "Governors will be empowered to tailor an approach that meets the diverse circumstances of their own states.

Every state is very different.

They're all beautiful.

We love them all, but they're very, very different.

If they need to remain close.

We will allow them to do that.

And if they believe it is time to reopen, we will provide them the freedom and guidance to accomplish that task and very, very quickly, depending on what they want to do.

We are also encouraging states to work together to harmonize their regional efforts." In phase one, larger venues like restaurants and gyms could reopen with strict social distancing while the vulnerable must stay home.

Schools and non-essential travel could resume in phase two and gatherings could increase to up to 50 people.

In phase three, medically vulnerable people could resume interactions.

But seven Northeastern states announced Thursday that they will extend their shutdowns until at least May 15 - New York among them.

Governor Andrew Cuomo explained there are still too many unanswered questions about how to achieve wide-scale testing, tracing and how schools and businesses will operate in what he called "a new normal." Trump said states will be doing their own testing - something that Cuomo has repeatedly said states can't do on their own.

Trump's guidelines are based on the rate of spread in individual states - and embraces the idea of states working together regionally - something the governors are already doing.

Governors of seven Midwest states, including Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois, have formed a partnership to restart their economies, saying in a statement, quote, "This doesn't mean our economy will reopen all at once, or that every state will take the same steps at the same time.

But close coordination will ensure we get this right."