Fauci: The stimulus bill needs to be passed for schools to reopen

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Dr. Anthony FauciAnthony Fauci Sunday shows preview: lawmakers weigh in on Trump’s indictment trial; Biden administration observes mass vaccination schedule Oxford University will begin testing COVID-19 vaccine in children Five things to know about the new CDC coronavirus guidelines MORE, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, said Sunday that a stimulus bill needed to be passed so schools could reopen safely.

While appearing on “This Week” on ABC, Fauci spoke with the host George StephanopoulosGeorge Robert Stephanopoulos Lawyers blame Trump for riots as second indictment trial approaches GOP senator: Trump dismisses “partisan exercise of meaningless messaging” Buttigieg says “time is of the essence” on the bill of stimulus on how schools could safely reopen, expanding recently published new guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“This is the first time it has been published in a document based on scientific observations and data in the last months to a year, both in the United States and elsewhere. Part of that is to indicate and strongly suggest that preference be given to teachers for vaccination, ”Fauci said, though he added that it was possible to reopen schools without having vaccinated all teachers in advance.

When Stephanopoulos asked him if schools had the resources available to meet the new CDC guidelines, Fauci said he didn’t believe it.

“I think schools really need more resources and that’s why we need to pass the national relief act we’re talking about: we need it. Schools need more resources.”

House committees have begun marking portions of President BidenJoe BidenBiden on Trump’s acquittal: “The substance of the indictment is not in dispute” White House press aide resigns after threatening Trump journalist’s condemnation vote exposes division of Republican Party MOREThe $ 1.9 trillion stimulus plan and Democrats have promised to pass a final law early next month.

However, Fauci on Sunday appeared to be optimistic about the reopening of schools, an action he has supported throughout the pandemic, arguing that the harm to young students was too great.

“I think it can be done. I mean, obviously it’s not a perfect situation, but it’s very important that kids get back to school as safely as possible. Safe for children, but also safe for teachers and other educators, ”said Fauci.

In its new guidelines for school reopening, the CDC said it was “critical that schools open as safely and quickly as possible,” because of the benefits of face-to-face learning. Last year’s data showed a decline not only in students ’academic performance, but also in their mental health and well-being as classes moved online and at home.

Fauci also spoke of the growing threat posed by coronavirus variants in the United Kingdom and South Africa. He claimed that Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have been shown to be “clearly” effective against the UK variant and claimed that widespread vaccine administration was the best way to avoid “serious consequences”.

Stephanopoulos noted that data on the South African variant were missing. Recent data have suggested that the South African strain is more resistant to current vaccines.

“We know that it bypasses the protection of some monoclonal antibodies and slightly decreases the ability and effectiveness of the vaccine to block it. It does not eliminate it, but it decreases it by multiple folds. There is still some cushion left so that the vaccine it provides some protection against it, ”Fauci said.

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