Dr. Anthony Fauci said in a TV interview on Thursday that it was “inevitable” that a new COVID-19 strain appeared in Colorado and California – and predicted its spread in the United States, although “it does not appear to be more virulent”.
“We predicted that it would be, when you have so much in the UK, that it then spread to other countries in Europe and Canada, it was inevitable that it would be here,” said Fauci on NBC News’ “Today”.
“You will hear complaints from other states and more cases in the state that are already reported. Unfortunately, this is just the reality of how these viruses spread, ”he continued.
“Our British colleagues have clearly shown that it is much more efficient at transmitting from person to person,” said Fauci, adding that “the good news is that it doesn’t seem to be more virulent, that is, making people sicker and leading to more deaths. “
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also noted that the mutation “does not seem to escape the protection afforded by vaccines that are currently being used.”
He added: “But the fact that you have a virus that spreads more efficiently is important and needs to be taken seriously.
“This only reinforces the need to keep putting our feet on the ground and on the pedal, to do the public health measures that we talk about all the time. The use of masks, physical distance, avoiding crowds in congregating environments, ”said Fauci.
Regarding the national vaccination plan, Fauci told host Craig Melvin that it was “disappointing” to have administered close to 3 million – not the 20 million doses previously projected – by the end of 2020.
“Hopefully, when you get into the first weeks of January, the momentum will get us to the point where we want to be,” he said.
“But there really has to be a lot more effort towards resources for the locals, that is, the states, the cities, the counties, the places where the vaccine is really going into people’s arms. It is necessary to support local groups, states and cities, to help them fulfill this task, which is a very prodigious task ”, he added.
The country’s leading infectious disease physician also revealed that the change in the approach to administering the vaccine is “under consideration”.
“I still think that, if done correctly, you can take a single dose, reserve doses for the second dose and still get the job done [done] but there is a lot of discussion about whether or not to spread the initial vaccination, vaccinating more people in the first round ”, he said.
“One of the problems with doing this is, if you don’t get your second dose in time, you will have a delay period. We know from the clinical trial that the ideal time is to administer it in one day, and then, for Moderna 28 days later, and for Pfizer 21 days later, ”Fauci continued.
“This is what the data tells us is the best way to do this. So, if you want to keep the data, this is how you should do it. But you can argue, and some people do, about stretching doses by giving a single generalized dose and hoping to receive the second dose in time to give it to individuals. “
On Wednesday, Fauci said he predicted the United States would achieve sufficient collective immunity for COVID-19 through vaccinations to restore “some appearance of normality” by the fall of 2021.
He made his comments during an online pandemic discussion with California Governor Gavin Newsom, who announced that the new strain was detected in his state.
“As we move into January, the feeling is that we are going to gain momentum to catch up,” said Fauci, adding that he expects immunizations to be widely available to the general public on demand by April.
Assuming the vaccination campaign progresses as it should until May, June and July, “When we get to the beginning of autumn, we will have herd immunity good enough to be able to really return to some strong appearance of normalcy – schools, theaters, sporting events, restaurants “Said Fauci, according to Reuters.