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Covid-19: Anthony Fauci cautions US is moving in the ‘wrong direction’; urges unvaccinated individuals to take the jab
Anthony Fauci also said that the current “unnecessary predicament” of soaring cases in the states was brought about by unvaccinated individuals and that he is very “frustrated” with the situation right now
Top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci cautioned the United States and insisted that the country was moving in the wrong direction in trying to combat a new wave of the coronavirus pandemic accelerated by the Delta variant and slowing rates of vaccination, reported Bloomberg. “We’re going in the wrong direction,” Fauci told reporters, adding, “I’m not sure if it would be the worst-case scenario but it’s not going to be good”.
Fauci also cautioned against breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated individuals.“The data that’s evolving from Israel and from Pfizer indicates that it looks like there might be some diminution in protection,” he said, adding that booster shots of vaccine might be needed for the most vulnerable people, the ones with co-morbidities. “Those are the kind of individuals that, if there’s going to be a third boost, which might likely happen, will be among first the vulnerable,”.
Fauci also said that the current “unnecessary predicament” of soaring cases in the states was brought about by unvaccinated individuals and that he is very “frustrated” with the situation right now, reported the Associated Press. “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,” Fauci said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 49% of the eligible population are currently vaccinated in the US. President Joe Biden had set a goal to administer at least one dose of the vaccine to 70% of the adults in the country by July 4, but it remained unfulfilled. Biden urged people to get vaccinated and lashed out at social media companies or allowing vaccine misinformation to remain in circulation.
Reports of vaccination rates going up have been emerging from states with a high number of cases, which the White House confirmed on July 22. "In the past week, the five states with the highest case rates — Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri and Nevada — had a higher rate of people getting newly vaccinated compared to the national average," Jeff Zients, the White House Covid-19 response coordinator, said during a White House briefing.
Fauci also praised Republican politicians Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, Ron DeSantis of Florida, and the second-ranking House leader, Representative. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, for encouraging their constituents to get vaccinated, these states have been reporting low rates of vaccination since the drive was started. “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.
