Top American virus expert warns of ‘serious’ consequences if US reopens too fast

WASHINGTON — The US government’s top infectious disease expert warns Congress that ending lockdowns too quickly could bring severe consequences, including new outbreaks of coronavirus just as the country tries to overcome the pandemic.

Anthony Fauci tells a Senate panel the federal government had developed guidelines for local jurisdictions on how to safely reopen activities, and a sustained decrease in cases for 14 days was a vital first step.

“If a community or a state or region doesn’t go by those guidelines and reopens… the consequences could be really serious,” says Fauci.

Fauci acknowledges that US deaths caused by the virus are likely higher than the roughly 80,000 fatalities in the current official government toll.

This, he says, was because many people particularly in hardest-hit New York died at home before they could be admitted to a hospital.

But he also says he is “cautiously optimistic” about the prospects of a vaccine, with eight candidates currently undergoing clinical trials.

“We have many candidates and hope to have multiple winners,” he says. “In other words, it’s multiple shots on goal.”

— AFP