President Donald Trump speaks during a coronavirus task force briefing at the White House, Saturday, April 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

If the recent warnings from the White House are any indication, it appears that the nation might be getting the worst of the COVID-19 outbreak over the next couple weeks. But afterward, it is possible that the nation might finally be mostly free from the pandemic.

On Saturday, President Donald Trump warned the nation that it might be facing more COVID-19 deaths in the days ahead. “We are really coming up onto a time that’s going to be horrendous,” he told reporters at the White House.

Trump continued, claiming that the United States had never experienced a crisis like the coronavirus outbreak previously. “We’re getting to that point where it’s going to really be … some very bad numbers,” he explained.

The president also stated that his team would continue working to keep the number of deaths as low as possible. “Unfortunately, we’re getting to that time when the numbers are going to peak, and it’s not going to be a good looking situation,” he said.

White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx echoed Trump’s sentiments. “This is the moment to not be going to the grocery stores, not going to the pharmacy, but doing everything you can to keep your family and your friends safe,” she cautioned.

Birx also indicated that the White House is monitoring areas in Michigan, Louisiana, and New York, as these are seen as the hot spots for the disease. Each of these areas is expected to reach peak numbers for COVID-19 deaths.

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams appeared on “Fox News Sunday,” to discuss the pandemic with host Chris Wallace. “This is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives,” he said. “

But it was not all doom and gloom. Adams also explained that things would get easier after this time passes. He said there “Is a light at the end of the tunnel if everyone does their part for the next 30 days.”

Wallace also asked Adams about hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug that the president has touted as a solution to the outbreak. The drug has not yet been approved for use, but some early signs have shown it to be effective in treating the illness.

“Here’s what we’ve advised the president: When people are in a tragic situation, we want them to be able to have a conversation with their healthcare provider about everything they can do to save their lives,” the surgeon general replied. “We feel a little bit better regarding its safety than we do about a completely novel drug.”

If the president’s assessment of the COVID-19 outbreak is accurate, the next couple weeks will be critical as the virus hits its peak. However, if Adams is right, we might be seeing an end to the crisis sooner rather than later.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Follow me on Twitter: @JeffOnTheRight