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Dr Anthony Fauci said on Monday that a drop in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in most countries probably cannot be attributed to vaccines, which means people should continue to be careful.
“I don’t think the dynamics of what we’re seeing are significantly influenced, yet – it will be soon – but still by the vaccine,” Fauci said on NBC’s “TODAY”.
The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to the president said the drop was more likely due to a natural leveling off in cases after a peak after the holiday season.
“We don’t want to be complacent and think … ‘oh things are going in the right direction, we can step back a bit because we have a UK variant circulating in the country which is currently present in over 20 States. Fauci said, pointing out that the variant is more easily passed from person to person.
Fauci also said that while unofficial, preliminary data shows the UK variant to be deadlier. “I’m pretty convinced that there is an increase in the severity of the actual infection,” he said.
The vaccines should, however, be effective against the British strain and a new South African strain. But scientists are prepared and “are already taking steps” to improve the vaccine as “things continue to evolve,” Fauci said.
A recently announced travel ban preventing most non-US citizens from entering if they have recently been to South Africa that President Joe Biden plans to sign on Monday is “very cautious,” Fauci said. He added that anyone entering the country will have to pass a Covid-19 test before boarding a plane bound for the United States and someone in quarantine upon arrival.
When asked about the “double-masking” method, Fauci encouraged it. “You put another layer on it, it makes sense that it would be more effective,” he said.
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