Fauci: “The country still has a long way to go to be safe” | News

Dr. Anthony Fauci said at a virtual town hall meeting on Monday night that the threat of COVID-19 remains a reality, despite millions of vaccinations nationwide.

The country still has 70,000 new infectious diseases per day. 62 million people over the age of 12 who are eligible to be vaccinated have not yet received the injection. He said this number does not include the latest eligible groups between the ages of 5 and 11.

Forch, director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, said:

Fauci talked about the ongoing threats and the future after the pandemic during the one-hour event hosted and moderated by Vaccines, new drugs on the horizon, and D-Palo Alto Congressman Anna Eshoo.

Eshoo, chair of the House Subcommittee on Health, presented Fauci with questions from the audience on all aspects of the pandemic, including the entire pandemic, long-term COVID, and childhood vaccination.

The Thanksgiving holiday season began in about two weeks, and many people first wondered if it was safe to get together.

“Obviously, if you’re fully vaccinated, you can enjoy your vacation with your children, grandchildren, and family,” Forch said.

But for those who shot only one of the two recommended shots, the risk was reduced but “clearly present,” he said. To minimize infection, he said, those who received only one injection should undergo a rapid COVID-19 test before meeting with their loved ones.

The country still has a long way to go before it becomes safe. Of people of all ages, only 58% are fully vaccinated. 67% receive a single dose. Of those over the age of 12, 68% were fully vaccinated and 79% received only one vaccination, he said.

“There is no excuse for not being vaccinated,” Forch said. Vaccines are a very effective tool for controlling viruses.

He recommended that all qualified people get booster shots. Studies show that booster shots significantly improve immunity to the virus. Protection from the first series of shots begins to decline in the months that follow. People infected with COVID-19 who later received a full vaccination regimen also need to take booster shots because their immunity weakens and can re-infect after a few months, he said. ..

Currently, booster shots are only available to people over the age of 65 or those with a medical condition that is predisposed to serious illness. He said pharmaceutical company Pfizer submitted data to the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday seeking an emergency permission for booster shots for people over the age of 18.

Children between the ages of 5 and 11 who are currently receiving the first vaccination are also likely to need booster shots, but research into that is still underway, he said. Although the vaccine dose for that age group is only one-third that of the adult vaccine, Fauci said it does not reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine. He said the children were so small that they were losing weight.

Eshoo said Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford is one of the facilities conducting clinical trials using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children.

“Clinical trials in children are very satisfying,” says Fauci.

At ages 5-11, it is 91% effective in preventing symptomatic treatment. In children aged 12 to 15 years, the effectiveness is almost 100%. He said that both age groups have high safety profiles.

Trials are also underway for two younger age groups, children aged 2-5 and children aged 6 months-2. The data is likely to be available in the first quarter of 2022, he said.

Many people are worried about what the government is doing about “long COVID.” This is a mysterious syndrome that remains ill for months after the first COVID-19 infection, including heart, lung, and nerve problems. When the House Subcommittee on Health conducted a long hearing on COVID, Eshoo said patients could not go to work or school because of their debilitating effects.

“The patients who testified were very frustrated. No doctor came up with a diagnosis that (their symptoms) could be long COVID,” she said.

According to Forch, $ 1.15 billion has been donated to the National Institutes of Health to study ways to recognize, intervene, and prevent long-term COVID and post-COVID-19 syndromes. He said that an estimated 10% to 30% of patients have persistent symptoms that are measured over several months, such as debilitating fatigue, tachycardia (heart disease), and brain fog.

Fauci also touched on potential social changes after the pandemic was over. He said some would continue to wear masks voluntarily after the pandemic was over.

For some, it may be “new normal” during the winter. He said that many people noticed a significant reduction in flu cases last winter and may find it a good idea to continue wearing masks during the winter flu and cold season.

Buildings, shops and restaurants are also likely to pay more attention to good ventilation, which will probably be part of the building code, he said.

In terms of medicine, COVID-19 has started a lot of research on antiviral drugs. In clinical trials, Merck’s new oral drug, molnupiravir, reduced the chances of hospitalization and death in COVID-19 patients when given in the early stages of infection. UK drug regulators approved its use on November 4th.

Last week, a study of a promising oral drug called the protease inhibitor Paxlobide was 89% effective in preventing COVID-19 hospitalization and death if given within 3-5 days of initial symptoms. Announced that it showed. The National Institutes of Health has also invested $ 3.2 billion in antivirals to prevent the progression of the disease, Forch said.

Eshoo called these developments “big hits.”

Asked for one of the laws he wanted to write to change society, Forch said he wouldn’t rely on the law. He said funding for research and development and rebuilding the country’s destroyed public health system would greatly help secure a safer future.

But he noticed one desirable change.

“I want to change the division of our society. The common enemy is the virus, not each other,” he said.

Asked about religious exemptions, Fauci added that there could be exceptions to religious traditions when a health emergency of such magnitude occurs. Religions rarely have beliefs or norms that prevent people from being vaccinated in the first place. Some people intend to say that it goes against their religious beliefs, but he said it may not be part of their established religion.

Fauci trampled directly but carefully when expressing his views on this subject.

“Social interests may need to replace your own personal choices. Exceptions are needed,” he said. “It will be difficult to sort out. It will be a controversial issue.”

He said cases of COVID-19 have surged again recently in other countries, especially the United Kingdom, as they have withdrawn precautions such as mask requirements and have not vaccinated their children. Incidents surged when the cold began and people began indoor activities. He said he also withdrew the promotion of vaccines in countries with more cases.

“Here, it depends entirely on what we do,” Forch said. He advised anyone who was vaccinated more than 6 months ago to get a booster shot, and anyone who has not yet been vaccinated to get a shot as soon as possible.

The $ 64,000 question is how to talk to people who are misinformed about pandemics and vaccines, Eshoo said. Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, recently said, according to Forch. Online toolkit Work on helping people who are hesitant about vaccines.

“Many people have valid questions that have never been answered. There is a lot of disinformation and false information,” he said, distinguishing between intentional falsehood and false or inaccurate information. ..

“Be patient and don’t blame,” Forch said.