To claim that the gov’t has the coronavirus pandemic under control is a “false statement” ─ Fauci

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States is barely under control.
• Previously downplaying the effects of the virus, President Donald Trump told the media on Sunday afternoon that America will probably witness the toughest week as he anticipated the death toll of COVID-19 to surge.
• Fauci continued to appeal to the public to continue mitigation efforts and practice social distancing guidelines as they expect the inevitable in the coming week.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on Sunday that the government is struggling to get the COVID-19 situation under control as the virus outbreak becomes a pressing issue right now.

It would be a ‘false statement’ to claim that the government has already contained the virus from spreading, told CBS’ Face the Nation.

On Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump told the media during a press briefing that the country will probably experience the toughest week. Last week, Trump’s speeches were in a more serious tone after his initial pronouncements in mid-March that the virus outbreak was under control albeit the death toll continued to climb up.

Despite the predicament, Fauci noted that mitigation efforts are showing signs of success, even in New York which was one of the most affected areas in the US.

“This next week is going to look bad because we’re still not at that apex,” Fauci said pertaining to New York. “Within a week, eight, nine days or so we’re hopefully going to see that turning around.”

Market Brennan, Face of the Nation host, questioned Fauci if the eight states — Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, South Carolina, Utah and Wyoming — are putting the country at risk as they haven’t imposed ‘stay-at-home’ orders yet.

“It isn’t that they’re putting the rest of the country at risk as much as they’re putting themselves at risk,” Fauci mentioned. “Every time I get to that podium in the White House briefing room, I plead with people to take a look at those very simple guidelines of physical separation.”

Social distancing guidelines include being six feet apart from people and avoidance of gathering between 10 or more individuals.

Fauci said that regardless of one’s residence, may it be in a larger city or small town, there would be a spike of coronavirus cases in the country.

The director further noted that the numbers next week would be “shocking to some,” and added that citizens should continue to mitigate and practice social distancing because “we’ve got to get through this week that’s coming up.”

Source: The Hill