WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump said Wednesday that he would like to reopen the U.S. economy with a “big bang”, but added that the death toll from the coronavirus needs to be on the down slope before that can happen.

Trump originally stated he would like to see key parts of the economy reopen in time for Easter Sunday this weekend, but his prediction now feels like a distant memory as many states have doubled down on lockdowns and social distancing recommendations.

The coronavirus death toll surpassed 14,000 as of Wednesday night, according to CBS news, with the country fast approaching the numbers of Spain and Italy, the second and first countries for most deaths worldwide, respectively.

Trump did not give a time frame on when he would like to reopen the economy, but his chief economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, said on Tuesday it was possible it could happen in four to eight weeks. Meanwhile, Trump’s medical advisers are urging caution out of concern that trying to return to some sense of normalcy too early could lead to a renewed outbreak of the virus.

Trump and his team have been encouraged by signs that the death toll among Americans may fall far short of projections outlined last week indicating between 100,000 and 240,000 could die.

“We’re ahead of schedule,” Trump said at a White House news briefing.

He added that the economy could be reopened in phases, but that “it would be nice to open with a big bang,” according to a report from Reuters.

New guidelines announced for critical infrastructure workers

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Bob Redfield also announced new guidance to ensure critical infrastructure workers can do their jobs after being exposed to the coronavirus.

The new guidelines, for essential workers who are exposed to the coronavirus and are asymptomatic, is to wear face masks, have their temperature taken and to practice social distancing.

Despite the optimistic outlook from the White House, the numbers of deaths are growing, as Vice President Pence announced with a somber tone on Wednesday.

“We are in the midst of a week of heartache,” Pence said, adding that, “we are beginning to see glimmers of hope.”

Pence announced that 3,000 people will participate in a clinical trial about the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug Trump has touted as helpful to some patients with the virus, although some medical experts doubt it has been studied enough to be used for this purpose.

According to the Washington Post, some of these anti-viral drugs have shown promise in small studies in China, France and South Korea.

An Arizona man died after taking a fish pond cleaning chemical with a similar name, chloroquine phosphate, after pouring into his soda and drinking it in an attempt to prevent the virus from harming him.

Michigan Democratic State Rep. Karen Whitsett has credited hydroxychloroquine and President Trump’s recommendation for her speedy recovery from COVID-19, according to the Detroit Free Press.