The U.S. top infectious disease expert said Sunday that the nation is in an “unnecessary predicament” of rising COVID-19 cases fueled by unvaccinated Americans and the highly contagious Delta variant, according to Medical Xpress.
Describing himself as “very frustrated,” he said, “We’re going in the wrong direction.”
Dr. Fauci, who is also the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), said that recommending the vaccinated to wear masks is “under active consideration.”
He also said that booster shots may be suggested for people with suppressed immune systems who have been vaccinated, per Medical Xpress.
Dr. Fauci, who also serves as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, told CNN’s “State of the Union” that he has taken part in conversations about altering the mask guidelines.
The NIAID director noted that some local jurisdictions where the number of cases is surging, such as Los Angeles County, have already been calling on people to wear masks in indoor public spaces irrespective of their vaccination status.
Dr. Fauci said those local rules are compatible with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation that the fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks in public.
The CDC says nearly 163 million (49%) of the eligible American population are vaccinated.
Dr. Fauci said, “This is an issue predominantly among the unvaccinated, which is the reason why we’re out there, practically pleading with the unvaccinated people to go out and get vaccinated.”
Federal experts have been reviewing early data as they consider whether to recommend that vaccinated individuals get a booster shot, according to Dr. Fauci.
The nation’s top infectious disease expert also suggested that some of the most vulnerable, such as cancer or immunocompromised patients, are “likely” to be recommended for a booster dose.
Dr. Fauci went on to praise Republicans, including Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, as well as the second-ranking House leader, Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, for encouraging their constituents to get vaccinated.
“What I would really like to see is more and more of the leaders in those areas that are not vaccinating to get out and speak out and encourage people to get vaccinated,” he said. The article was published on Medical Xpress.
