Melania Trump coronavirus response leads to Easter Egg Roll cancellation; FLOTUS advises Americans to follow CDC guidelines

The United States First Lady Melania Trump has been obliged to cancel yet another event amid the COVID-19, aka coronavirus, pandemic. She also publicly recognized the efforts of medical professionals while reminding her constituents to adhere to health and safety guidelines.

Melania Trump events canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic

The White House announced Monday that it decided to cancel this year’s Easter Egg Roll following the National Emergency Declaration on the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual event has been one of the oldest traditions in the White House, dating back to the 1870s.

“The health and safety of all Americans must be the first priority, especially right now,” Mrs. Trump said in an official statement. “I deeply regret this cancellation, but we need to make difficult decisions in the short-term to ensure a healthy country for the long-term.”

This is not the first time in the White House’s history that the event needed to be canceled. The Easter Egg Roll did not take place from 1917 to 1920 and from 1943 to 1952 due to the two World Wars. It is then not surprising for Mrs. Trump’s office to have come up with this decision this year, given the public health crisis in the U.S.

This is also not the first event Mrs. Trump has canceled this month. The first lady was supposed to host a campaign fundraiser for his husband’s 2020 reelection bid in Beverly Hills, California, this Wednesday. However, it was not clear whether the cancellation was due to coronavirus since Mrs. Trump’s spokesperson only mentioned “scheduling conflict” as the reason the event will not push through.

Melania Trump coronavirus tweet focuses on health workers

Mrs. Trump has also been reminding Americans about the public health guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before the Easter Egg Roll was confirmed to be canceled, Mrs. Trump shared on Twitter the CDC’s recommendation to cancel all events with over 50 attendees for the next eight weeks.

On Monday, Mrs. Trump also took to Twitter her message for medical professionals, first responders, and health workers thanking them for their “tireless” service. In another online post, she encouraged her followers to keep in mind the safety guidelines from the CDC to prevent the virus from spreading further.