“Do We Really Want to See More Dead?” Fauci Draws the Whole Picture of Virus Inactivity

Washington (CN) — Dr. Anthony Fauci is not happy. Ultimately, the United States could kill up to 300,000 deaths from Covid-19 by the end of the year, with 750,000 deaths from the virus in six months across the globe.

During a panel hosted by National Geographic on Thursday, a country’s prominent expert on the novel coronavirus posed a trademark frank question about its rigor. forecast Released last week by the Institute of Health Metrics and Assessment at the University of Washington.

“We are certainly not the place we wanted,” the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told ABC News reporter Deborah Roberts. Live remote event..

“We are in the midst of a very historical and serious pandemic, and the numbers speak for themselves,” Foech said.

As of Thursday, the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center has reported 20 million cases of Covid-19 worldwide, leading with 5.2 million infections in the United States. According to IHME, more than 160,000 Americans have died, and without better containment efforts, at least 137,000 could follow between now and 1 December.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these numbers include at least 9,300 healthcare workers. Statistics also reflect an increase in cases of children: just this week, American Academy of Pediatrics report Infectious diseases in children increased by 90% per month.

Covid-19 has already killed 90 children this year, but the academy says seasonal flu kills about 100 children each year.

Forti was critical of Thursday’s US lack of a “universal plan” to slow the spread of the virus and reiterated his allegations in recent weeks. appear Before a specific parliamentary committee tasked with overseeing the federal response to a pandemic.

As Forsi explained, the nation was unable to implement universal mask wear in the spring when case rates surged, staggering shutdowns and spreading the infection to the inner perimeter of the porosity rather than performing it uniformly.

Within the first two months of the pandemic, most states were severely shut down as local governments committed to their own ingenuity and otherwise kicked out of consistent federal support.

But Forch pointed out that this could lead to premature resumption in states such as Florida, Texas, and Arizona, and even in California. Fauci said these choices made it more difficult for the US to “lower the lawsuit to a truly viable baseline,” as it happened in Europe where lockdowns were uniform and quick. ..

“Now we are turning around that with fewer deaths, hospitalizations, and fewer cases, but when we look at other parts of the country, we are beginning to see an increase in the proportion of tests that are positive. As we know from the past, it is a predictor of more surges,” Forch said. “Unless we all work together to withdraw it, and unless there is a gap between some states doing this and some doing it, we continue to do this. Move it up and down.

“Conclusion: I’m not happy with what’s going on,” he added.

Emphasize that “pulling together” needs to be simple enough as it only takes a few steps, such as wearing a universal mask, socializing distances, washing hands, avoiding crowds and maintaining outdoor activities. did.

According to Fauci, the vaccine will not be successful and is expected to arrive in the United States later this year or early 2021, but these simple techniques are key to reducing illness and death.

The discussion about herd immunity as a way out of the pandemic was also summarized by the Director.

“And so many die. As a society rooted in our human spirit, we don’t really want to see it,” he said. “Over 160,000 people have died in this country already. Do you really want to see more dead? I don’t think so.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed this week that Moscow was successful Developed a vaccine For Covid-19, it raises allegations of doubt among scientists, epidemiologists and other experts around the world about its effectiveness and safety given a truncated development timeline.

The vaccine known as Sputnik V has not received what Forti has ever described as the “golden standard” for vaccine development. Thousands, if not tens of thousands, of large phase 3 placebo-based clinical trials.

“Holding a vaccine and proving that it’s safe and effective are two very different things,” Forti said.

In the United States, more than six vaccines are used at various stages of clinical trials. About 30,000 Americans participate in the third phase of a vaccine trial being conducted by a Massachusetts-based biotechnology company modern..

“If it could hurt a lot of people, I wanted to start next week. That’s not the way this works,” Foech said. “I want the Russians to really and conclusively prove that the vaccine is safe and effective, but I’m seriously skeptical that they did it.”

Fauci never made a direct reference to President Trump, and he never blamed a particular political party or party during Thursday’s program.

Forti and his family were threatened with death and forced to hire guards.

“I think it reflects the division of the country,” he said. “It’s taken in a tone I’ve never seen before.”

He recalled that he was angry that he remembered and “worked” to understand and potentially stop the virus, even during the HIV/AIDS epidemic decades ago. It was. But it was mostly “homophobic” people who were angry at his diversion of resources, he said.

“Nothing was so serious that people were so angry that they threatened my life and harassed my wife and children over the phone,” he said.

It is a difficult problem for Foch to think “unthinkable” because Fouch appeared here for several months just to advocate for basic public health measures in a pandemic.

“Boy, I hope to overcome this conflict in this country and get out of the area of ​​intense conflict where people are doing things that threaten others,” he said. .. “There is no way our society can function that way or go along with it.”