'America will soon be open for business', Trump reassures public at press briefing

President Donald Trump looked to reassure the public again Monday that the Coronavirus outbreak will be shortlived.

Speaking at a White House briefing with members of his Coronavirus Task Force, Trump said his administration is working on the "next steps," for re-opening businesses and other aspects of society once the medical community decides social distancing at the current level is not needed.

"Our country wasn't built to be shut down," Trump said, adding, "America will again and soon be open for business."

He said that timeframe would be "a lot sooner than the three or four months" that some have suggested.

Trump also reiterated his comments from a tweet earlier in the day, saying that it is important to protect the U.S. Asian American community.

"They're amazing people and the spreading of the virus is not their fault in any way, shape, or form," Trump said.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.