President Donald Trump reassured Americans on Monday at the White House that he was not seriously considering dramatic government controls over their lives as the country continues fighting the spread of the coronavirus.
The president was asked about the possibility of GPS tracking during the White House press conference on Monday.
“The GPS, that’s a severe idea,” Trump said. “I’ve been hearing about it. What happens? A siren goes off if you are too close to somebody?”
President Trump was advised by his former commissioner of the Federal Drug Administration, Scott Gottlieb, to use GPS tracking on cell phones to enforce isolation in a “road map” for defeating the virus.
Trump said he would “take a look” at the road map and Gottlieb’s recommendation.
Some experts have recommended using dramatic tactics to keep Americans infected with the virus from spreading it,
In South Korea, Government officials deployed a GPS tracking system for tracking infected people with a smartphone app.
The president also said that although he had discussed a national stay-at-home order with his team, he did not think it was warranted, as different parts of the country were differently affected.
“If we do that, we will let you know,” Trump said. “It’s pretty unlikely I think at this time.”