Rumors circulated on Friday that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was planning a nationwide lockdown in response to the coronavirus. Acting Secretary of DHS Chad Wolf took to Twitter to say that such rumors were simply untrue.
Hearing a lot about texts from "friends at DHS" or "friends with connections at DHS" that say DHS is planning a national lock down.
— Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) March 20, 2020
THIS IS NOT TRUE.
Do not believe the disinformation campaigns. Please do not pass it along. Use trusted local and federal government sources.
While some states have seen a sharp rise in the number of reported COVID-19 cases and are escalating efforts to slow the spread of the virus, President Trump has dismissed the prospect of a nationwide lockdown in the near term.
"You go out to the Midwest, you go out to other locations, they're watching on television but they don't have the same problems," Trump told reporters. "They don't have, by any means, the same problems."
New York and Illinois announced "stay at home" orders that will take effect over the weekend. California Governor Gavin Newsom was the first to order a statewide "stay at home" order, instructing California's 40 million residents to stay at home as much as possible in the coming weeks.