Surgeon General Jerome Adams said he anticipates that the rise in coronavirus cases next week will be “our Pearl Harbor moment” during Sunday morning interviews.
When asked by MSNBC’s Chuck Todd about what he would advise the nine governors who have not issued stay-at-home orders to do, Adams said he would advise them to follow the White House’s 30 days to slow the spread guidelines.
After noting that he ran a state department of health and that he’s talked to many governors, Adams gave a grim comparison regarding the anticipated rise of coronavirus cases next week.
“The next week is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment. It’s going to be our 9/11 moment,” Adams said. “It’s going to be the hardest moment for many Americans in their entire lives.”
Adams then said that 90% of Americans are “doing their part” even in states without a shelter-in-place to help flatten the curve, but that he wants everyone to understand that they’ve “got to be Rosie the Riveter” so that health care systems don’t become more overwhelmed in the next week.
Watch Adams’ remarks on MSNBC below:
Surgeon General Jerome Adams: "The next week is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment. It's going to be our 9/11 moment." pic.twitter.com/HoE76Uq1sx
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) April 5, 2020
When asked by Fox News Sunday’s Chris Wallace about how bad the epidemic will be in the country and how long it will last, Adams echoed his comments on MSNBC.
“Well, it’s tragically fitting that we are talking at the beginning of Holy Week because this is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives, quite frankly,” Adams said. “It’s going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment. Only it’s not gonna be localized. It’s going to be happening all over the country.”
Watch Adams’ remarks below:
Surgeon General Jerome Adams: "It's going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment. Only it's not gonna be localized. It's going to be happening all over the country." pic.twitter.com/DGWnlQ5uNp
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) April 5, 2020
