Michael Osterholm, a former Biden adviser to COVID-19, warned on Sunday that while progress was being made in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, the threat of new virus variants was still over.
While appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the host asked Osterholm Chuck Todd
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“Let me say that we are in the eye of the hurricane right now. Things seem to be going very well, “Osterholm said.” We’ve had a terrible and terrible year. But what we know is about to reach us is the situation of this B.1.1.7 variant. A virus which originated in the United Kingdom, which is now wreaking havoc in some parts of Europe.
Osterholm noted that several European countries have recently resorted to two-month blockades to contain the new variants. Early research has found that its possible variants, such as those from Brazil and South Africa, are able to re-infect those who have already recovered from a previous case of COVID-19.
“The last time I was on your show four weeks ago, variant B.1.1.7 had about 1 to 4 percent of the virus we were seeing in communities across the country. Today it’s going from 30 to 40 per one hundred “. Osterholm told Todd. “And what we’ve seen in Europe when we reach that 50 percent mark, you’ll see cases increase. So right now we need to keep the United States as safe as possible from this virus, without letting any of the measures pass. of public health that we have taken and we must vaccinate people as quickly as possible ”.
Todd also noted during the interview that the CDC guidelines for people who have been vaccinated have not been published so far and asked Osterholm what his recommendations would be.
“What can the public do with any guidance we give them?” Osterholm asked. “If we only tell people that they should stay hooded, that they should stay at home, that they should continue to wear the mask even though they are completely vaccinated, they will not go there to do so. They will ignore the recommendation of public health “.
The epidemiologist stated that he would not go to a crowded restaurant at this time even if he was vaccinated.
“We have to be practical and I’m a little worried that we’re basically stuck with this idea that we’ve always had: do this or not,” Osterholm said. “And so I hope the CDC guidelines recognize that people won’t go to the extreme of staying dominated in 2022, that won’t happen. So what can we provide them with reasonable information that will give them the best case to protect- if? “