‘Rolling shutdown’ for several months may be on cards to contain coronavirus

WASHINGTON: The United States and perhaps many nations across the world face the prospect of a “rolling shutdown” lasting months, with accounts of the coronavirus resurfacing whenever countries and communities relax mitigation measures and restrictions. South Korea is also reporting that dozens of recovered coronavirus are testing positive again, making return to normalcy a tough call to make.

Amid reports that there has been an uptick in Covid-19 cases in China after the country eased some restrictions, some experts are suggesting a rolling, on-off strategy, including geographical sectioning, to keep the pandemic in check, till such time full control can be established through proven medical therapy or vaccine.

“We’re looking around the world. As they relax the economic controls, the virus flares back up again. We could have these waves of flareups, controls, flareups and controls until we actually get a therapy or a vaccine. I