Coronavirus: Trump says he expects to see a 'lot of schools' open up

President Donald Trump said Monday he expects to see a "lot" of US schools reopen after being shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.

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"Many (state governors) are thinking about their school system," Trump said at a daily White House briefing.

"Not a long way to go in the school system right now, for this season, for this year, but I think you'll see a lot of schools open up," he said.

"Even if it's for a very short period of time, I think it would be a good thing," Trump told reporters.

"Young people seem to do very well," he added in an apparent reference to studies showing that children do not get as sick from the virus as older people.

"That's their choice, but the word is safety," he said. "Rapid -- but safety."

Schools around the country have closed because of the coronavirus pandemic and many have switched to online instruction.

The outbreak has left more than 55,000 people dead in the United States.