Bill Gates says he expects that coronavirus-related lockdowns could drag on into 2022 with restaurants closing their doors for subsequent six months.
The billionaire Microsoft founder offered his predictions during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday because the US set new records for brand spanking new cases, hospitalizations and deaths over a seven-day period.
He was asked how bad he thinks the COVID-19 crisis will get within the next few months before vaccines become widely available, Gates said: ‘Well, sadly, subsequent four to 6 months might be the worst of the epidemic.
Read also: Elon Musk overtakes Bill Gates as the second richest man in the world
Forecast shows over 200,000 additional deaths. If we might follow the principles in terms of wearing masks and not mixing, we could avoid an outsized percentage of these deaths. So within the near term, it’s bad news.
He went on to signal his support for drastic restrictions including California Governor Gavin Newsom’s latest stay-at-home order affecting quite 75 percent of the state.
‘Well certainly mask-wearing has essentially no downsides,’ Gates said. ‘Bars and restaurants in most of the country are going to be closed as we enter this wave, and that i think sadly that’s appropriate.’
‘You don’t need somebody you’re keen on to be the last to die of coronavirus,’ he added.
Follow us on Twitter: @oyogist
