The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a 60-page document that details how the United States should go about reopening schools, businesses, and public transportation after months of coronavirus-related closures.
Politico reported that the CDC on Sunday posted the document to its website without issuing a press release or making any other announcements about it. The guidance comes days after the health agency put up guidance pertaining to cleaning and disinfecting homes, homeless shelters, disaster shelters for the general population, and more.
"Extensive, rapid, and widely available COVID-19 testing is essential," the latest document reads.
The document has recommendations about how schools, child care centers, businesses, restaurants, and public transportation should get back to business. Things such as social distancing and wearing masks are included.
What's not in the guidance, however, is information about how churches and other houses of worship should reopen. According to Politico, the Trump administration did not want anything on the subject included because it could be construed as religious discrimination.
The White House, according to reports in recent weeks, has pushed back at the CDC's proposed guidelines for reopening the economy. One draft of the new guidance, which was leaked to the media last week, was more restrictive than what the White House wanted.
All states have started to reopen. The process began with easing stay-at-home orders and continues with stores and restaurants allowing customers to dine in. Other businesses that were forced to close because they were deemed nonessential are also reopening.
Critics and some healthcare officials fear that reopening too soon could lead to more outbreaks of the virus, which ultimately may lead to closures again. More than 1.5 million Americans have been sickened with COVID-19 and the death toll is approaching 100,000.