When the United State's most prominent infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, was asked how the country was doing in facing the coronavirus pandemic on Monday, July 6, he answered, "really not good."
He added that prompt action is necessary to stop the resurgence of COVID-19. Speaking to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) director, Francis Collins, he says that new cases per day have now ascended to about 50,000 in the U.S.
Furthermore, he linked the surge to some states and cities re-opening their economies too early. Part of the problem, according to Fauci, is that the country never got the virus down to a controllable level before the most recent deluge.
In California, surging cases have prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to announce just ahead of the Fourth of July weekend that he was closing bars, indoor restaurant dining, and theaters over most of the state.
The U.S. is still knee-deep in the coronavirus pandemic, Fauci says. He also compared the country unfavorably with Europe, which overcame the virus after its initial spike.
The Difference Between the U.S. and Europe
Fauci's comments greatly contrast those made by Kayleigh McEnancy, the White House press secretary on Monday. She said that the world is looking at the U.S. as a leader in COVID-19, referring to having a lower mortality rate than Europe.
Fauci explained that when looking at graphs from Europe and the European Union, their cases went up and returned to a baseline. They are currently having minor blips, as expected, as they are trying to re-open their economy.
On the contrary, the U.S. cases went up, but never came down, Fauci says. And now, coronavirus infections are surging back up which presents a situation that needs to be addressed quickly.
Moreover, the United States has provided an early flare of funds for taxpayers and company support. However, the government is efficiently leaving it up to the market to reapportion jobs.
On the other hand, European governments went through an artificial shutdown, and have chosen to try to "freeze" their economies. The temporary halt was imposed in the hope of resuming them quickly afterward.
Coronavirus and the Younger Generation
As the newer cases of COVID-19 gear toward younger people, Fauci cautions them not to think of themselves as indestructible, and warns that they could potentially spread the virus to others.
Most of these young people have been flocking to bars and other places of social gathering since the opening of some states. Fauci warns that although some might not be affected by COVID-19's symptoms, they could still be asymptomatic carriers and infect those who are more vulnerable.
By getting infected, young people are propagating the outbreak, he said. He warned that because of reckless behavior and lack of consideration, someone's grandmother, grandfather, or aunt who's getting chemotherapy for breast cancer could catch the virus.
The infectious disease expert urges everyone to continue avoiding crowds, practice frequent handwashing, wearing face masks, and maintaining a distance of six feet away from the next individual within the vicinity.
