WASHINGTON – The nation’s leading infectious disease specialist says the United States can see significant steps toward a return to pre-pandemic normality, even before the country attains herd immunity against the coronavirus.
Dr. Anthony Fauci says that the best estimates of when enough people are immune to stop the outbreak range between 70-85% of the population – a number that must be reached in late summer or early fall.
He says that as the pace of vaccination increases and those most vulnerable to the virus are protected, some government restrictions may be lifted.
Said Fauci: “You don’t have to wait until you get full herd immunity to get a really profound effect on what you can do.”
CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky warned that only about 10% of the population is fully vaccinated, but her agency anticipated loosening of federal guidelines as more people receive vaccines.