Bill Gates says the US missed its chance to avoid coronavirus shutdown and businesses should stay closed

CNBC March 24, 2020
Jessica Bursztynsky

Key Points

– Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates answered questions about COVID-19 during a “TED Connects” program.

– Gates said the United States missed its chance to avoid stay-at-home orders because it didn’t act fast enough on the pandemic.

– He added that the U.S. needs to ramp up its testing abilities.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said Tuesday that the United States missed its chance to avoid mandated shutdowns because it didn’t act fast enough on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

“The U.S. is past this opportunity to control (COVID-19) without shutdown,” Gates said during a TED Connects program broadcast online. “We did not act fast enough to have an ability to avoid the shutdown.”

“It’s January when everybody...

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