Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned on Tuesday that people’s lives are going to have to change as the nation deals with the coronavirus, which originated in China, and that people need to prepare now if that haven’t already.
“What I want to talk to you about today, just for a moment or two is that we would like the country to realize that as a nation, we can’t be doing the kinds of things we were doing a few months ago,” Fauci said. “That it doesn’t matter if you’re in a state that has no cases or one case.”
“You have to start taking seriously what you can do now that if and when the infections will come and they will come, sorry to say, sad to say, they will, but when you’re dealing with an infectious disease, you always have that metaphor that people talk about, that Wayne Gretzky. He doesn’t go where the puck is, he’s going to where the puck is going to be,” Fauci continued. “We want to be where the infection is going to be as well as where it is.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci: "As a nation, we can't be doing the kinds of things we were doing a few months ago. … You have to start taking seriously what you can do now that, if and when the infections will come and they will come, sorry to say, sad to say, they will." pic.twitter.com/TMlK9bSaLa
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) March 10, 2020
“The cases continue to increase globally. We’re playing particular attention to the cases in Europe and Italy and France and which we’re starting to see that up at the same time as the relative number of new cases come down from China,” Fauci said. “What we’re seeing in Europe, is that Europe is in that up slope. That is something that is expected. That’s the way these outbreaks go. This is not a surprise to anybody. If you look at the history of infectious disease outbreaks. In the United States we continue to have new cases. As of this morning, 712 I believe with 27 deaths. Guaranteed by the time of this evening that is going to be up. There will be several more. Tomorrow there will be several more.”
Fauci pointed to the CDC website on the coronavirus as the place to go for information on how to stay safe from being infected from the virus.
The CDC on how the coronavirus spreads:
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person:
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.Can someone spread the virus without being sick?
- People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest).
- Some spread might be possible before people show symptoms; there have been reports of this occurring with this new coronavirus, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects: It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
How easily the virus spreads: How easily a virus spreads from person-to-person can vary. Some viruses are highly contagious (spread easily), like measles, while other viruses do not spread as easily. Another factor is whether the spread is sustained, spreading continually without stopping.
The virus that causes COVID-19 seems to be spreading easily and sustainably in the community (“community spread”) in some affected geographic areas.
Everyone can help prevent the spread of #COVID19. Call your doctor if you develop symptoms, have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, or have recently traveled from an area with widespread or ongoing community spread of COVID-19. https://t.co/ehL8kmRHaN. pic.twitter.com/KwrKO7VNub
— CDC (@CDCgov) March 10, 2020
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