Fauci: US will continue to smolder if there's no unified response

4 years ago 229

3 min ago

Fauci: US will continue to smolder if there's no unified response

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, warned that if the US does not have a unified response against Covid-19, the country is at risk of continuing to "smolder."

Speaking to CNN's Sanjay Gupta, Fauci used the metaphor of a rowing team, noting that while watching matches of his daughter who was on a varsity crew team in college, he learned that to "win the race" all those on the boat must be "rowing in unison."

"The only way you're going to win the race is that when all eight are rowing in unison. You get one that catches a crab, as it were, with, an oar goes that way or you don't row, you don't win. So as long as you have any member of society, any demographic group who's not seriously trying to get to the end game of suppressing this, it will continue to smolder and smolder and smolder, and that will be the reason why in a non-unified way we've plateaued at an unacceptable level."

Fauci added that he thinks this lack of unity "is the problem."

14 min ago

Fauci explains why people who don't develop coronavirus symptoms are driving new cases

From CNN's Amanda Watts

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said a mixed message around coronavirus is what is driving new cases.

“The good news about Covid-19 is that about 40% of the population has no symptoms. … The bad news, for messaging, is that 40% of the population get no symptoms," he told CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta during a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health forum.

“As long as you have any member of society, any demographic group, who's not seriously trying to get to the end game of suppressing this, it will continue to smolder and smolder and smolder, and that will be the reason why, in a non-unified way, we've plateaued at an unacceptable level,” he said.

WATCH:

22 min ago

Fauci says there is "a degree of anti-science feeling" in the US

Dr. Anthony Fauci said there's "a degree of anti-science feeling in this country" while speaking to CNN's Sanjay Gupta today.

Fauci said he believes this feeling about science by some is "almost related to authority and a mistrust in authority."

He said that sometimes scientists are "looked upon as being authoritative figure" and those that mistrust science thinks that "pushing back on authority, they're pushing back on government, it's the same as pushing back on science."

"Unfortunately, that's not what scientists are," he continued.

Fauci added that scientists need to be "more transparent in reaching out to people and engaging society and understanding why science and evidence-based policy is so important."

WATCH:

34 min ago

Fauci says he and his family have gotten death threats

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

Dr. Anthony Fauci said that receiving death threats for advocating public health principles has been stressful for him and his family, during an interview on Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health forum with CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta .

"Getting death threats for me and my family and harassing my daughters to the point where I have to get security, it just, it’s amazing," Fauci told Gupta.

"I wouldn’t have imagined it in my wildest dreams, that people who object to things that are pure public health principles are so set against it and don’t like what you and I say, namely in the word of science, that they actually threaten you," he said.

Fauci also discussed how he has adjusted to "chronic exhaustion" since starting to work on the coronavirus task force.

"I'm doing fine... I can't complain. I think the energy and adrenaline rush and the focus comes from the, what you said, the importance of the problem," Fauci said.

47 min ago

Fauci says US has suffered "as much or worse than anyone"

From CNN's Amanda Watts

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies before a House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing on July 31 in Washington. Kevin Dietsch/Pool/Getty Images

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, said when it comes to coronavirus in the United States, the country has suffered “as much or worse than anyone.”

Speaking to CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta during a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health forum, Fauci said, “When you look at the number of infections and the number of deaths, it really is quite, quite concerning.”

“The numbers don’t lie,” he added.

56 min ago

More than 157,000 people in the US have died from coronavirus

From CNN's Haley Brink

There are at least 4,785,528 cases of coronavirus in the US, and at least 157,186 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases.

So far on Wednesday, Johns Hopkins recorded 14,448 new cases and 385 reported deaths.

The totals include cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other US territories, as well as repatriated cases.

58 min ago

NCAA sets deadline for schools to decide if they're going to play fall sports

From CNN's Dan Kamal

The NCAA Board of Governors announced Wednesday that each division of school athletics will have to determine its ability to meet specific requirements in order to proceed with fall sports during the preseason, regular season and postseason.

Schools and conferences will have until Aug. 21 to determine whether their respective fall sports seasons and NCAA championships should occur this year.

In addition, the board expressed serious concerns about the continuing high levels of Covid-19 infection in many parts of the nation and emphasized it will only support moving forward with fall championships and postseason play if strict conditions are applied and maintained.

The requirements include:

Following “Return-to-Sport” guidelines from the NCAA Sport Science InstituteAdherence to federal, state, and local guidelines related to Covid-19Allowing all student-athletes to opt out due to Covid-19 concerns, with all scholarships honoredEach school must provide eligibility status for all students who opt out by Aug. 14Schools cannot require student-athletes to waive legal rights regarding Covid-19 as a condition of athletics participationSchools, in conjunction with existing insurance standards, must cover Covid-19 related medical expenses for student-athletes

The NCAA will also establish a phone number and email address to allow student-athletes, parents, or administrators to report alleged failures of compliance, with school and conference officials expected to take immediate action.

If fall sports championships area postponed in any division, a decision to schedule for a later date will be based on scientific Covid-19 data available at that time.

Read the NCAA's statement on fall sports.

1 hr 15 min ago

TSA signs contract for protective shields at airports

From CNN's Pete Muntean

TSA agents work at a security checkpoint at the Ronald Reagan National Airport on July 22 in Arlington, Virginia. Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images

New numbers show more than 1,500 Transportation Security Administration workers have now tested positive for coronavirus, but the agency hopes new protective shields at airport security checkpoints will help.

The TSA announced that it has awarded a nearly $2.5 million contract to California-based Lavi Industries.

The company will build more than 1,200 acrylic barriers to be installed at 37 “priority” airports that the TSA considers are its busiest domestic hubs. The TSA said the barriers add to those already in place and will be installed this fall.

“As long as this virus remains a threat, TSA will continue to implement the measures necessary for containment,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said.

TSA data shows that six workers have died from coronavirus, and more than 1,000 have recovered.

1 hr 28 min ago

One of Brazil's leading indigenous leaders dies of Covid-19

From journalist Marcia Reverdosa in São Paulo

One of Brazil’s leading indigenous leaders, Chief Aritana Yawalapiti, leader of the Upper Xingu, died on Wednesday of Covid-19, his nephew Kaiulu Yawalapiti told CNN.

"My heart is in pieces, bleeding," Kaiulu Yawalapiti said.

Aritana was admitted to an intensive care unit on July 22 after suffering from severe breathing problems. He was 71.

Aritana was one of the most prominent leaders in the Xingu park, the first indigenous territory to be recognized by the Brazilian government in 1968. He fought for the safety and health of the Upper Xingu for many years.

"He could no longer breathe on his own, his lungs were severely damaged so we had to transfer him to a hospital," his son, Tapi Yawalapiti, told CNN when he was admitted to the ICU on July 22.

Yawalapiti told CNN then that the Upper Xingu lacked medical supplies, testing kits and medical assistance to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Covid-19 spreads very fast, the whole community is sick, children, the young, the elderly. We are being neglected by the Brazilian government, they are not helping us enough and it seems that they want to decimate us," Yawalapiti told CNN on July 22.

The Xingu reservation park is located at the northeast of the state of Mato Grosso, southern portion of the Brazilian Amazon.

Latest figures: On Wednesday, Brazil’s Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health (SESAI) reported 139 indigenous people infected with coronavirus, nine people have died and 138 people have been treated for "suspected Covid-19."

But the Association of Indigenous people (APIB), an independent organization in Brazil, has reported that 21,571 indigenous people have been infected with the virus and 618 people have died since the pandemic started in the country, according to data released on August 1.

Read Entire Article