Anthony Fauci
(Photo : REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci listens as Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic response event in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 15, 2020.

United States President Donald Trump's infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci emphasized that the war against COVID-19 is far from over, tagging it as his "worst nightmare."

As National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' director, Fauci shared his outlook about the slowly reopening of the United States from lockdown while facing massive protests in major cities after the death of George Floyd in the hands of the police.

Fauci believes the worst is not yet over

According to The Guardian, during his virtual appearance at a conference arranged by Biotechnology Innovation Organization, Fauci mentioned that in a span of four months, coronavirus has devastated the whole planet and he emphasized that it is not yet over.

The infectious expert also added that the world is full of uncertainty especially with the virus around us, invisible in our naked eyes, still a mystery as to how it spreads and could possibly impact our body.

He also shared that coronavirus is much more complex even compared to HIV, which is a virus he spent his career studying, stating that it is because of the varying levels of seriousness in infections, starting from asymptomatic carriers to patients who later on develop fatal conditions.

Even Fauci himself confessed that he does not know as to when it is going to end and he shared that we are at the beginning of understanding the virus.

The BIO director also stated that the vaccine will be the only weapon against COVID-19, but he shows the confidence that an antidote is already in the works.

In a report by CNBC, Fauci also explained that there will more winners in the field of vaccines as we will be needing vaccines for the whole planet which means we need billions of doses.

Read also: WHO Report: We Need Six Million More Nurses

US should focus on African-American population

Heartened by the fact that biotechnological industry has stepped into the problem with a different approach than what they did with SARS, Fauci praised the industry that they figured it out as SARS had a degree of transmissibility that it burned itself out with pure public health measures however it is a different case for this virus.

Moreover, currently, the United States is climbing out of its nationwide health crisis, however, based on Fauci, resources should be focused on the most vulnerable regions or communities, especially African American, who due to numerous factors, which include employment and socioeconomic, have been hit twice by the virus.

The New York Post also reported that, Fauci pointed out the African American community as they have a huge portion of jobs that do not allow them to have somehow office works as they are preferred to do jobs that require physical interaction.

The United States top COVID-19 expert also cautioned against the implementation of price controls on vaccine manufacturers as for him even that he would like to see a fair price he stated that you cannot force it as companies will no longer invest if they know they will be facing price-control on vaccines.

Fauci reminded that the vaccine industry is a profit-driven industry, however, he also added that maybe in good faith companies will make it available especially to those groups, nations, and countries that cannot afford the vaccine.


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