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Dr Anthony Fauci has warned former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark that Covid-19 is unlike any other virus he has seen.
Fauci, who has been director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the United States since 1984, was on a video call with Clark Tuesday.
BRADEN FASTIER / things
Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has seen countries with female leaders do better in the battle against Covid-19.
“It was great hearing his thinking,” Clark said. “Fauci is a legend in his own life. He’s been Mr. Infectious Diseases in America for a long, long time. “
Since 1984, Fauci has dealt with HIV / AIDS, Sars, Ebola, Mers, and swine flu, but he told Clark why this pandemic was different.
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“You have never had to deal with a disease like this where you can be asymptomatic and be very infectious at the same time. This is something we have not experienced. “
It was Clark’s first “Covid-centric” conversation with Fauci but she said she has continued his work for months as she was chosen to carry out a review of the World Health Organization (WHO) response to the pandemic, with former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Clark and Sirleaf are expected to submit their report to the WHO in May 2021.
Fauci and Clark also discussed New Zealand’s response to Covid-19.
“He recognized that New Zealand has had a successful response,” Clark said. “I made the point that we had some advantages. We have a great moat around us. We are a small country with a single-chamber parliament ”.
A forceful answer is more difficult in a more complex political system like the United States, where there is also a pronounced culture of individualism and free expression, he said.
Erin Scott / AP
Dr. Anthony Fauci is confident that the Covid-19 vaccine will be available in 2021.
Clark noted that countries that have successfully fought Covid-19 have tended to have small populations, single-chamber parliaments, women leaders, and “strong social cohesion.” Along with New Zealand, she named Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. Even the much more populous Germany has been successful, under Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“The women leaders have been able to take the populations with them. They can appeal to the common good, guided by the evidence. “
The video call took place as the world passed the grim milestone of 1 million deaths from Covid-19 in more than 34 million cases. More than 211,000 people have died in the United States. There have been 25 deaths from Covid-19 in New Zealand.
The 30-minute video call was moderated by former broadcaster Linda Clark for the Aspen Institute think tank.
Clark said Fauci was confident there will be a vaccine available in 2021, but it will be “a difficult task” to implement it everywhere. Clark is a strong supporter of a “popular vaccine” that would be freely available to all, rather than being left on the market.
“We have to make sure the benefits of the vaccine are widely publicized,” Clark said.
While she was busy learning about the pandemic, Clark tested negative for the highly infectious virus. After she developed rhinitis, her GP suggested a Covid-19 test.
Unlike others, Clark did not find the nasal swab test too invasive.
“I must say that I did not find any drawbacks. It kind of puzzles me why people think that. “
Watch Helen Clark’s discussion with Dr. Anthony Fauci on Stuff on Friday.
