CDC director says US is ready to begin reopening but warns that it needs to have enhanced contact tracing and rapid testing in place before flu season

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said in an interview with The Hill on Tuesday that the nation is ready to begin reopening if it adheres to CDC guidelines.  Over the weekend, the CDC released a 60-page document outlining how states can begin to lift lockdowns safely.  Speaking to The Hill, Redfield said that community-based transmission that “overwhelmed the public health departments in late February, March, and April” was decreasing.  Still, Redfield said that as the US begins to reopen, it will need to enhance its contact tracing and testing capabilities in the months ahead