The US has seen the causes of COVID rise to new heights in recent weeks, and according to Anthony Fauci, MD, the country’s leading official doctor, is about to get even worse. The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) appeared on CNN’s state of the Union on Sunday, December 27th, to speak to the host Dana Bash on the current state of the pandemic in the US In the interview, Bash asked Fauci if he agreed with the president-elect Joe Biden’s warning that “the darkest days in our battle against COVID are ahead of us”, and he confirmed that he agreed. “When you are dealing with a baseline of 200,000 new cases per day, and about 2,000 deaths per day, with hospitalizations above 120,000, we are really at a very critical point,” he warned. That’s why he is sounding the alarm that the pandemic is about to get even worse. And to learn more about the symptoms you should be aware of, see The first signs that you have COVID, according to Johns Hopkins.
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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged Americans to stay put during the holiday. “Traveling can increase your chances of obtaining and promoting COVID-19”, advises the website. “Airports, bus stations, train stations, public transport, gas stations and rest stops are all places where travelers can be exposed to the virus in the air and on the surface.”
But the Americans apparently did not heed that warning. According to AAA, up to 85 million Americans were expected to travel at Christmas, with 1.2 million being screened at airports on December 23, TSA data showed. “There is certainly a danger,” said Fauci of holiday travel. “You see pictures on TV screens, Dana, of people in airports, lined up, trying to be physically separate, but it is so difficult to do that.” And to find out more what’s going on in Fauci’s mind, see The only side effect that Dr. Fauci is concerned about with his next injection into COVID.
In addition to the very act of traveling, Fauci points out that people who traveled would visit people outside their home, another activity that the CDC advised against. “Personal meetings that bring family members or friends from different families together, including university students returning home, present various levels of risk”, warns the CDC. “The difficult choices to separate this year could mean that you can spend many more years with your loved ones. … This year, spend more time with the people in your own home.”
Regarding the mixing of households, Fauci said: “As much as we advise against it, it nevertheless happens and that is one of the reasons why we are concerned that it is a real risk situation for the spread of the infection.”
He added that with hospitals almost full and the strong temptation to meet for the holidays, the United States is at a crucial point that could cause cases to rise. “If you put more pressure on the system … because of travel and the likely gathering of people for, you know, the good and warm purpose of being together on vacation, it is very difficult for people not to do that,” he explained . And to learn more about the signs of the virus, check out this strange symptom may be the only sign that you have COVID, says the study.
According to Fauci, another upcoming holiday could make the numbers even worse: New Year’s Eve celebrations, where people tend to get together with friends and alcohol, can lead to poor judgment. The CDC notes that “the safest way to celebrate the New Year is to celebrate at home with people who live with you or virtually with friends and family. Staying at home is the best way to protect yourself and others.”
“The reason I am concerned, and my public health colleagues are also concerned, is that we may very well see a post-seasonal increase – towards Christmas / New Year. And, as I have described, a ‘wave upon wave’ ”, He warned.“ It’s really very worrying. ”And for more regular updates to COVID, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Fauci warned that this combination of travel, social mix and meeting for New Year’s Eve could create a perfect storm from which we will see the effects in mid-January. “I share President-elect Biden’s concern that as we get into the coming weeks, things could get worse,” he said. And to find out more about who is most at risk, make sure you have this blood type, you are at a high risk of getting serious COVID.