"We're dealing with an
unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak, as we all know."
The coronavirus pandemic is currently a "serious
problem," according to Dr Anthony Fauci, the President's chief medical
advisor and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases. "If you compare unvaccinated people to vaccinated people, the
latest statistics show that an unvaccinated person has a ten times greater
chance of getting infected, a 17 times greater chance of being hospitalized,
and a 20 times greater chance of dying," he told Kathy Roth-Douquet,
Co-Founder and CEO of Blue Star Families, about the current state of COVID and
how you can stay safe. Read on for five life-saving tips.
1. Dr Fauci Warned We're Approaching 2,000 Deaths a Day
"As we all know, we're dealing with an unprecedented COVID-19
outbreak that keeps providing us with new variants," Dr Fauci added.
"We've advanced from the original, ancestral strain to Alpha, Beta, and
Delta. Now we're dealing with Omicron, which is unusual because it can travel
from human to human with such speed. We're seeing record numbers of cases and
hospitalizations right now. And we're still at a rate of roughly 2,000 deaths
each day." even though "it is now known through multiple observations
in different nations to be inherently a bit less severe," the sheer amount
of infections is creating a significant challenge.
2. Dr Fauci Said Here's When the Current Surge May Reverse
When will the current surge reach its peak? "It won't be
similar across the country because we have different dynamics and different
regions," Dr Fauci explained. "Right now, there's no doubt that it
has peaked in New York City and other regions of New York State and New Jersey,
and that it is rapidly declining. We're seeing that in larger cities like
Chicago, however, it hasn't yet peaked in cities in the south, and we're likely
to see a slower incline and decrease, as seen in places like New Orleans and
other Louisiana cities... Returning to the time when the entire country will be
in a position to bring around. As I stated, we're already seeing that in some
cities. By the middle of February, the first few weeks of February, most of the
states in the country will have turned around with their peak and are starting
to drop down in terms of cases. Then there are the obvious
hospitalizations."
3. Dr Fauci Said Here's What it Means to "Learn to Live With
COVID"—We Can't Do That Yet
Some virus experts believe that we will "need to learn to
live with the virus" at some point in the future—not now, but later.
"But what does that actually imply? Is it correct, and do you believe it
to be true?" Roth-Douquet enquired. "When you say "live with the
virus," you're making reference to reducing the virus's spread in the
community, as well as its impact on severe disease and hospitals, to the point
where it's indistinguishable from many other respiratory infections we've
learned to deal with and live with, such as influenza viruses, RSV,
parainfluenza, adenovirus, and, of course, influenza. So bringing it down to a
level where it doesn't affect our lives, our economy, or generate a constant
fear of illness, particularly severe illness, in the community. One thing is
certain: we are not there yet, since 156,000 people in the hospital every day,
with 800,000 new cases and 2,000 deaths, is not a number we want to learn to
live with. Right? We need to get that level far, much lower."
4. Dr Fauci Was Asked if Alpha or Delta May Come Back
"One of the things that separates coronaviruses from smallpox
or measles is that once you've been infected with smallpox, you're protected
for life, owing to the fact that smallpox doesn't mutate or change much. You
will not become infected if you are re-exposed to smallpox. The same would be
true for measles—once you've been infected, you're protected for life, owing to
the fact that the disease doesn't change much. The reason I can't say the same
thing about Omicron or Delta is that their protection isn't as lengthy. So you
might be safe for a few months, five months, six months, seven months, a year,
two years, who knows, but not forever. As a result, if you are exposed for an
extended period, you may become reinfected." That's why, "even if
you've been infected with Delta or Omicron, get vaccinated since you'll have a
far higher level of protection against reinfection."
5. Dr Fauci Said Cold Weather is Bad News
Roth-Douquet questioned if hotter temperatures could be our friend, leading to fewer cases. "Warmer weather may not be our friend, but colder weather is our enemy," Dr Fauci said. "And the reason I say that is because, unlike other respiratory viruses, this virus flourishes in warm weather when people are outside, as opposed to inside, where any respiratory infection is less likely to spread. Respiratory infections spread in confined areas with poor ventilation, which is more common in the winter due to the colder weather in most parts of the country. That's one of the reasons why, even if you've been vaccinated and boosted, you should still wear a mask when you're indoors in a congregate situation."