Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday in a television interview that it was “inevitable” that a new COVID-19 strain would appear in Colorado and California – and predicted its spread in the U.S., though “it doesn’t seem to be more virulent.” .
“We predicted it would be, when you have a lot of it in the UK, which then spread to other countries in Europe and Canada, it was inevitable that you would be here,” Fauci told NBC News ’“ Today ”.
“You will hear reports from other states and more cases from the state that have already been reported. Unfortunately, this is just the reality of how these viruses are spreading,” he continued.
“Our British colleagues have clearly shown that it is much more efficient in person-to-person dissemination,” Fauci said, adding that “the good news is that it doesn’t seem to be more virulent, that is, making people sicker and leading to more death. “
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also noted that the mutation “does not appear to evade the protection offered by the vaccines that are currently being used.”
He added: “But the fact that you have a virus that spreads more efficiently is important and should be taken seriously.
“This only highlights the need to keep putting our foot on the ground and on the pedal, to make sure we do the public health measures we talk about all the time. Wearing masks, physical distancing, avoiding crowds in congregating environments, ”said Fauci.
Regarding the national vaccination plan, Fauci told host Craig Melvin that it was “disappointing” to have administered about 3 million, not the 20 million doses previously planned, by the end of 2020.
“Hopefully, as we get to the first two weeks of January, the momentum rise will take us to the point where we want to be,” he said.
“But there really has to be a much greater effort in terms of resources for local people, that is, states, cities, counties, places where the vaccine is getting into people’s arms. You have to support local groups, states and cities to help them do this task, which is a very prodigious task, ”he added.
The nation’s top infectious disease doctor also revealed that “the approach to administering the jab is being considered.”
“I still think that, if done correctly, you can make a single dose, reserve a dose for the second dose and still get the job done. [done] but there is a lot of discussion about whether or not you want to extend the initial vaccination, vaccinating more people in the first round, ”he said.
“One of the problems with doing this is that if you do not get the second dose on time, you will have a period of delay. According to the clinical trial, we know that the optimal time is to give it a day and then for Moderna 28 days later and for Pfizer 21 days later “, continued Fauci.
“This is what the data tells us is the best way to do it. So if you want to stay with the data, you should do so. But it can be argued, and there are those who do, about stretching the doses by giving a single dose to the whole board and with the hope that you will get the second dose in time to give it to people.
On Wednesday, Fauci said he predicts the United States will achieve enough collective immunity against COVID-19 through vaccines to regain “some resemblance to normalcy” in the fall of 2021.
He made his remarks during an online pandemic debate with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who announced that the new strain has been detected in his state.
“As we enter January, the feeling is that we will gain momentum to be able to catch up,” Fauci said, adding that he hoped vaccinations would be widely available to the general public at April’s request.
Assuming that the inoculation campaign is advancing as it should until May, June and July, “By the beginning of autumn, we will have good enough herd immunity to be able to really return to a strong appearance of normalcy: schools, theaters , sporting events, restaurants, “Fauci said, according to Reuters.