According to the will of US President Trump, Americans should be allowed to gather in churches in the corona pandemic. America needs more prayers, says Trump - who also speaks a word of power.
Washington (dpa) - US President Donald Trump has called on the governors in the states to open houses of worship in the Corona crisis immediately.
Trump declared churches and other places of worship, such as synagogues and mosques, "essential places that offer essential services" at a press conference at the White House on Friday. Essential facilities such as supermarkets can remain open in the pandemic according to the CDC Coronavirus guidelines.
The president called on US governors to reopen places of worship this weekend. "If they don't, I'll defy the governors." The White House spokeswoman, Kayleigh McEnany, did not specify on what basis Trump wanted to defy the governors. She said that was a hypothetical question.
Trump criticized: "Some governors considered alcohol shops and abortion clinics to be essential, but left churches and other places of worship out of the equation. That is not correct. I correct this injustice." The president added, "In America we need more prayers, not less."
The CDC health agency had only reported a few days ago that a church in Arkansas had suffered massive coronavirus infection in March. Of 92 people who visited the church between March 6 and 11, 35 were infected with the corona virus. Three people died. Another 26 cases of infection in the community have been linked to the church.
Trump has strong support, especially among white evangelical Christians. In a poll by the Pew polling institute last October, 31 percent of Americans said they attended a religious ceremony such as worship at least once a week. In 2009 it was 37 percent.
All U.S. states have now eased or announced easing measures in the pandemic. In many states, however, worship or other religious gatherings are still not allowed. The Republican Trump is not opening quickly enough, especially in some states governed by democratic governors. He urges the states to loosen protective measures quickly so that the hard-hit economy can get going again.
The United States is particularly hard hit by the corona pandemic. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have recorded nearly 1.6 million confirmed coronavirus infections. More than 95,000 people died - more than in any other country.
Pew survey
Infection numbers at Johns Hopkins University