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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, is joining Gov. Jared Polis for an update on the state’s response to COVID-19.
Watch live: http://bit.ly/2TV8x8o
Watch live: http://bit.ly/2TV8x8o
Polis starts by saying he and his partner are feeling good — they both tested positive with COVID-19 on Saturday ( https://bit.ly/3ocQ4mf ). He said they're not out of the woods just yet, but are thankful for the kind words from Coloradans.
Dr. Fauci says Colorado isn't alone in seeing a spike in COVID-19.
"If you look across the U.S., we are really in a public health crisis right now. We are having a surge the likes of which are worse than what we saw in the late winter and spring," he says.
"If you look across the U.S., we are really in a public health crisis right now. We are having a surge the likes of which are worse than what we saw in the late winter and spring," he says.
Fauci said this surge has surpassed the others, with between 1,000-2,000 deaths per day and over 90,000 hospitalizations.
He says it's problematic and challenging, to say the least.
He says it's problematic and challenging, to say the least.
He said we will likely see the results of the Thanksgiving travel event in the coming weeks. The numbers of COVID-19 cases are already going up.
You mitigate it by doing things that Polis has been telling us to do and that I have been reiterating, Fauci says.
You mitigate it by doing things that Polis has been telling us to do and that I have been reiterating, Fauci says.
"It's not too late to do something about it," Fauci says. "Help is in fact on the way. Vaccines are literally on the threshold for us."
Toward the middle and end of December, he says we'll have 40 million doses of the vaccine available for 20 million people in the U.S.
Toward the middle and end of December, he says we'll have 40 million doses of the vaccine available for 20 million people in the U.S.
When we get a vaccine available for the general population, "we can crush this outbreak," Fauci says, just as we did with smallpox and polio.
He concludes by thanking frontline workers in CO: "You really are heroes and thank you so much for what you're doing."
He concludes by thanking frontline workers in CO: "You really are heroes and thank you so much for what you're doing."
Fauci: There are examples of people who wear masks and get infected, just as there are people who still get injured or die in car crashes despite wearing a seatbelt. No intervention is 100%.
"We don't want the expectation of the perfect to be the enemy of the good," Fauci says.
"We don't want the expectation of the perfect to be the enemy of the good," Fauci says.
Fauci: The timeline of this vaccine is extraordinary, unprecedented and unexpected.
He says he didn't think we'd have a 95% effective vaccine. He encourages Coloradans to look at data that's transparent and independent and to get vaccinated for their own safety when available.
He says he didn't think we'd have a 95% effective vaccine. He encourages Coloradans to look at data that's transparent and independent and to get vaccinated for their own safety when available.
While answering questions on Mayor Hancock traveling for Thanksgiving, Fauci says generally, mixed messaging from people in authority is something that counters the kind of messaging they like to get to people so everybody can understand the appropriate thing to do.
While answering the same question, Polis says he hopes people who traveled or gathered for the holiday do not get sick.
"My hope is that they don’t contract it, and if they do, are among the lucky ones who do not require hospitalization," Polis says.
"My hope is that they don’t contract it, and if they do, are among the lucky ones who do not require hospitalization," Polis says.
Fauci: One issue with locking down is that it amplifies the issue of "COVID fatigue."
But we don't have to resort to a lockdown if we uniformly do the typical precautions — masks, social distancing, avoiding crowds, etc., he says.
But we don't have to resort to a lockdown if we uniformly do the typical precautions — masks, social distancing, avoiding crowds, etc., he says.
Fauci: If everybody did that, you would not have to go into a lockdown. But some people are doing it and some people are not. It may very well come to lockdown if hospitals are overrun.
Fauci says people who are not in at-risk categories will likely have access to the vaccine starting in April.
Fauci: It's important to understand why the vaccine is safe. The trials were done in enormous numbers. And the results were monitored by an independent group of scientists. They are career scientists, not political appointees.
Fauci: "I think if every healthcare worker realizes how transparent and independent the process is, they'd feel much better about getting the vaccine. ... I see patients and I will get vaccinated when my time arrives, I promise you that."
Polis adds that he will as well.
Polis adds that he will as well.
Fauci: As we get 2-3 weeks beyond the Thanksgiving holiday, we'll see the curve that has started to flatten out go back up unless people did a considerable job mitigating.
Polis: Prisoners will not get the COVID-19 vaccine before members of the public vulnerable population and those 65+. That's obvious. It will go to nursing homes, veteran facilities and frontline workers first.
Polis says the actual proposal on how the state will carry this out will be released next week.
In conclusion, Fauci tells Coloradans to "hang in there."
Help is on the way and we are going to get out of this, he says. We are going to get through this and we will be back to normal the way we were before COVID-19 hit us.
Help is on the way and we are going to get out of this, he says. We are going to get through this and we will be back to normal the way we were before COVID-19 hit us.
