Federalism is on full display in the nation’s plans to move toward reopening the economy and lifting restrictions on social distancing.

President Donald Trump gave a road map last Thursday for states to follow while loosening their emergency provisions.

“We’re starting our life again,” Trump said. “We’re starting rejuvenation of our economy again.”

Trump’s road map, which he described as a “phased and deliberate approach,” would take much longer than the administration had previously suggested after it gave up on the idea of reopening some parts of the economy by Easter.

Christmas might be a more reasonable timetable under the plan, based on the warnings of some federal officials. The plan calls for a return to normalcy that takes place over three phases.

Phase one maintains strict social distancing for all people in public. Gatherings larger than 10 people are to be avoided and nonessential travel is discouraged.

Phase two encourages people to maximize social distancing and limit gatherings to no more than 50 people without precautionary measures. Travel could resume.

Phase three envisions a return to normalcy for most Americans, with a focus on identification and isolation of any new infections.

Trump would leave each state’s decision to its governor. Public health decisions in the United States generally have been left up to state and local officials, with larger cities enacting their own stricter policies and restrictions.

“You’re going to call your own shots,” Trump told the governors Thursday afternoon in a conference call, according to an audio recording obtained by The Associated Press. “We’re going to be standing alongside of you.”

Most states are operating under stay-at-home orders, but Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has avoided a so-described policy – even though he says his restrictions are essentially the same, if not stricter, as those in other states.

Ricketts praised Trump’s plan in a statement last Thursday.

“I appreciate President Trump’s guidelines for reopening pieces of the economy that have been closed temporarily,” Ricketts said. “It is critical that we get people back to work safely and continue to slow the spread of the virus as the country opens up.”

Nebraska’s regional directed health measures expire between April 30 and May 11, although they can be extended if conditions warrant. The state expects cases of COVID-19 to peak this week.

A statewide order has also shut down schools, as well as extracurricular activities and club sports, through the end of May. Several county health departments have issued their own directed health measures, including in Douglas County, and it’s possible the state would lift its measures while a local order remained in effect.

Several states have created regional coalitions for reopening the economy, including the Midwestern states of Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Kentucky.

Trump said recent trends in some states were so positive they could immediately begin taking the steps laid out in phase one.

“They will be able to go literally tomorrow,” Trump said.

The guidelines recommend that states pass checkpoints that look at new cases, testing and surveillance data over the prior 14 days before advancing from one phase to another. Governors of both parties made clear they will move at their own pace.

At the earliest, some parts of the country could see a resumption in normal commerce and social gatherings after a month of evaluating whether easing up on restrictions has led to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. In other parts of the country, or if virus cases pick up, it could be substantially longer.

The guidelines also include general recommendations to businesses as they plan for potential reopenings, suggesting temperature-taking, rapid COVID-19 testing and widespread disinfection efforts in workplaces.

Those most susceptible to the respiratory disease are advised to remain sheltered in place until their area enters the final phase – and even then are encouraged to take precautions to avoid close contact with other people.

Trump also held conference calls with lawmakers he named to a new congressional advisory task force on reviving the economy. Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer is among the task force’s members.

“We had a productive conversation during our first call today,” Fischer said Thursday. “COVID-19 has hurt Nebraska families, businesses, and our state’s economy. Working together, we can develop safe first steps to begin getting people back to work.”

This report contains material from The Associated Press.