- The convergence of the coronavirus pandemic and the flu could lead to “a very difficult time” for America if security measures are not uniformly maintained, said Dr. Anthony Fauci during an interview.
- The expert of the top infectious disease stressed the importance of a few simple things that can reduce the transmission of coronavirus.
- Social distance, face masks, and proper hand hygiene can limit the spread of COVID-19 so schools and non-essential businesses can operate safely.
The doctors of the world and public health officials support them for the fall and winter seasons, which could provide the nightmare scenario that everyone is afraid of: two infectious diseases can spread in the same communities at the same time. Double outbreaks of COVID-19 and the flu would put additional burdens on healthcare systems and could endanger the lives of more people. We have learned to live and tame with the flu, but it is endemic. We treat flu epidemics every year, and they continue to survive despite the availability of effective therapies and vaccines. The novel coronavirus is another beast, one we’ll just learn how to defeat.
The top infectious disease expert from the United States said in a new interview that the US is in for a “difficult time” this fall like COVID-19 and flu outbreaks combined, but insist that COVID-19 outbreaks can be defeated if people respect the simple safety rules that can reduce the spread. However, if they do not, we may be waiting for the nightmare scenario that experts fear infection.
“I totally agree,” Fauci said ABC’s David Muir on Monday, referring to remarks made earlier this year by Dr Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Redfield said in July that the combination of the flu and COVID-19 “could make it one of the most difficult times we have experienced in the U.S. public health system.” Fauci said Redfield’s prediction could become a reality if masks and social distance are not maintained “in a uniform way”.
“We would have a convergence of two respiratory diseases,” Fauci said. “We can have a very difficult time.” The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has maintained this line of thinking for months, reiterating the measures the public can take to reduce transmission.
“I want to impress the American people in a way that is so clear: There are things we can do that would bring the level down,” Fauci added. “If we go into the fall and winter, David, with the same situation … we’ll have upticks of percent positive, and then you have the incurable growth of infection.”
Fauci said earlier that the US should try to reduce the number of daily cases to less than 10,000 in case of fall. But that goal does not seem to be achieved at this point, as the US still registers between 50,000 and 70,000 new cases every day. Fauci addressed the matter in the interview and said it can still be done.
‘The way human nature acts there does not seem likely [this goal will be met]. But that does not mean it can not be done, ”Fauci said. ‘I do not know how compelling I can be to plead against the American people. That we can open the country, we can return to normalcy, if we do some simple things. ”
He made it clear that the virus will not go away on its own, because President Trump persists. But numbers could drop if people respect the safety precautions. He also noted that school students should all wear face masks to reduce transmission frequency, but admitted that the decision is out of his hands as local authorities have to enforce the rules.
The NIAID director also focused on the effectiveness of vaccines during the interview, saying he hopes the drugs will be more than 75% effective in blocking the infection. But he has no way of knowing until the Phase 3 tears are closed.
As for fast COVID-19 tests that could be available to the public, Fauci had no estimate as to when results could be delivered better.
He said he was not pessimistic about the country coming together to bring down COVID-19 cases. “My message is one of cautious optimism and hope,” he said. “But I’m also very realistic about knowing that if we do not do it, we will go on and on about it.”
ABC’s interview with Fauci is available in video version at this link.
Chris Smith began writing about gadgets as a hobby, and before he knew it, he was sharing his views on tech things with readers all over the world. Every time he does not write about gadgets, he manages to get away with it, even though he tries desperately. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
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