Kudlow Calls Virus Spikes in U.S. ‘Small Bumps’ in Recovery

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser said recent spikes in coronavirus infections in parts of the U.S. are “relatively small bumps” in the nation’s efforts to move beyond the outbreak.

Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, said in a Fox News interview on Monday that the infections are “controllable” and that “we don’t believe this is a second wave” of the pandemic.

Coronavirus cases have jumped in states including Arizona, Texas and Florida after they took steps to ease social distancing restrictions put in place to stem the spread of the disease. Trump has urged governors to reopen their economies, saying the toll of the public health measures has been worse than the impact of the virus.

Kudlow has repeatedly downplayed the risk of the virus. In late February, he called the outbreak in the U.S. “contained,” before rising infections and deaths led to an economic collapse as Americans adopted social-distancing practices.

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