RACE, A RACE BETWEEN THE NEW
MORE CONTAGIOUS STRAIN OF THE
CORONAVIRUS FIRST IDENTIFIED IN
THE UK AND THE VACCINE, THE
MULTIPLE VACCINES THAT HAVE BEEN
APPROVED FOR USE.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOSING THAT
RACE.
WITH MEOS NOW, DR. ANTHONY FAUCI
HEAD OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE
OFHE ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS
DISEASES, WHO HAS IN A LOT OF
WAYS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
MONTHS FELT LIKE THE NATION
ASSET CONSCIOUS OVER F THE LAST
SEVERAL MONTHS.
IT’S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HAVE
YOU,LW DR. FAUCI.
MAYBE LET’S START WITH
VACCINATION.
WE ARE BEHIND.
WE ARE -- THERE ARE OTHER
COUNTRIES DOING A WORSE JOB THAN
US, I SHOULD STIPULATE, BUT A
PLACE LIKE ISRAELTI DOING A MUCH
BETTER JOB.IN
WHY IS IT GOING SO SLOWLY?
WHAT’S GOING WRONG?
>> WELL, ACTUALLY WE DON’T KNOW
REALLY, PRECISELY WHY, CHRIS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE ALLOCATION
VERSUS WHAT’S SHIPPED, WHAT’S
DISTRIBUTED, BUT THESH BOTTOM LI
IS WHAT’S GETTING INTO PEOPLE’S
ARMS.
SO WE WERETO SUPPOSED TO GET 20
MILLION DOSES THAT WERE
DISTRIBUTED.
WE HAVE ABOUT 14 MILLION OF
THOSE.
SO WE’RE A LITTLE BIT SHORT ON
THAT.
HOPEFULLY WE’LL CATCH UP WITH
THAT INL THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
BUT THE REAL QUESTION IS WE HAVE
ABOUT FOUR-PLUS MILLION IN THE
ARMS OF PEOPLE.
WE’VE GOT TO GET THAT UP.
WE’VE GOT TOHA GET THE PACE UP.
WE’RE NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE.
THERE’S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
NO EXCUSES.
HOPEFULLY THAT IS A REFLECTION
OF TRYING TO START A VERY BIG
PROGRAM THAT IS COMPLICATED AS
WELL AS HAVING DONE RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF A HOLIDAY SEASON WHERE
YOU DON’T HAVE ALL THE CYLINDERS
GOING AT THE SAME TIME.
I THINK WE SHOULD WAIT AND TAKE
A LOOK AT THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
IF WE GET BACK ON PACE GOOD, IF
NOT, WE’VE GOT TO START LOOKING
AT WHAT THE REASON FOR THAT IS
AND HOW WE’RE GOING TO CORRECT
IT.
>> SO THERE SEEMS LIKE TWO
DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING HERE.
ONE I WANT TO FOCUS ON IS IN THE
SORT OF FIRST TIER, RIGHT?
SO WE HAD THE PRIORITIZATION
ISSUED BY THE CDC, AND I THINK
THAT I FIRST TIER MADE A LOT OF
SENSE.
HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND THEN
FOLKS THAT WORK IN LONG-TERM
CARE FACILITIES, INCLUDING
PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.
>> RIGHT.
>> OHIO GOVERNOR MIKE DeWINE
SAID THAT 60% OF NURSING HOME
WORKERS DECLINED THE VACCINE,
AND I’VE HEARD SIMILAR --
SOMEWHAT SIMILAR THINGS FROM
SOME OTHER PEOPLE I AM IN
REGULARE CONTACT WITH REPORTING
I GUESS THE FIRST QUESTION IS
ARE WE SEEING A LACK OF SHOTS IN
ARMS AMONG THAT FIRST TIER
BECAUSE OF JUST VOLUNTARY
REFUSAL FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE THE
VACCINE?
DO WE KNOW THAT?
>> WE DON’T KNOW FOR SURE,
CHRIS, BUT IOR DON’T THINK SO.
INK MEAN THERE IS VACCINE
HESITANCY IN PEOPLE WHO ARE
TURNING IT DOWN, BUT I THINK
JUST THE LOGISTICS OF GETTING IT
GOING INTO THE PEOPLE WHO WANT
IT IS REALLY THE ISSUE.
ILY DON’T THINK WE CAN BLAME IT
ALL ON VACCINE HESITANCY.
I THINK THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN A
PART OF M IT, BUT THAT CAN’T BE
THE EXCUSE FOR IT.
SO WE’VE GOT TO DO BETTER IN
JUST LOGISTICALLY AND
MECHANICALLY GETTINGOG IT GOING
GET IT IN PEOPLE’S ARMS.
THAT’S WHERE THE LESIONOP IS.
WE’VE GOT TO CORRECT THAT.
>> THEN THERE’S A SORT OF POLICY
QUESTION, RIGHT, WHICH IS, YOU
KNOW, IT SEEMS INCREASINGLY I’M
SEEING PEOPLENC SAY THIS, AND I’
WONDERING IF YOU WOULD AGREE,
RIGHT?
MORE SHOTS IN ARMS FASTER IN THE
WRONG ORDER IS BETTER THAN FEWER
SHOTS IN ARMS IN THE RIGHT
ORDER, WHICH IS TO SAY
PRIORITIZATION IS IMPORTANT, BUT
PRIORITIZATION SHOULDN’T BE AN
OBSTACLE TO GETTING PEOPLE VAX
VACCINATED.
AND I WONDER IF YOU THINK THAT’S
PART OF THE LOGJAM HERE, WHICH
IS TOO MUCH FOCUS ON THE RIGHT
ORDER AND NOT ENOUGH FOCUS ON
JUST COME GET A VACCINE.
>> YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT.
IF YOU CAN’T GET IT INTO THE
ARMS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE
HIGH PRIORITY, GO TO THE NEXT
GROUP.
AND THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE ARE
DOING.
THE ONE THING YOU DON’T WANT,
CHRIS, AND YOU DON’T WANT THE
VACCINE SITTING IN A
REFRIGERATOR OR SITTING ON A
SHELF.
YOU GOT TO GET IT INTO PEOPLE.
I BELIEVE IF WE DO IT CORRECTLY,
WE CAN GET IT INTO PEOPLE IN THE
PRIORITY THAT’S BEEN DESIGNATED
BY THETE CDC AND THEIR ADVISORY
COMMITTEE.
BUT YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IF YOURE DON’T GET IT WELL THAT
WAY, THEN GO TO THE NEXT BEST.
>> WHAT IS THE ROLE OF NATIONAL
COORDINATION HERE?
I MEAN ITAT DOES SEEM TO ME THE
DIVISION OFE LABOR HERE HAS BEE
THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
SHIPS AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
COMESRN UP WITH THESE
PRIORITIZATION, YOU KNOW,
THROUGH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
OF THE CDC AND IT SENDS THEM TO
THE STATES, AND THE STATES HAVE
TO DISTRIBUTE.
I GUESS ONE QUESTION IS, IS THAT
SUFFICIENT?
DO WE NEED A I MORE COORDINATED
FEDERAL RESPONSE?
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU’VE TALKEDN
TO THEHA INCOMING BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION ABOUT, FOR
INSTANCE?
>> YES, WE HAVE, AND WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THAT, OF HAVING
MORE OF A LIAISON AND A LINK
BETWEEN THE FEDERAL EFFORT, THE
FEDERAL PLAN, THE FEDERAL
RESOURCES THAT GO TO THE STATE.
THE FEDS CAN’T DO IT ALONE,
CHRIS.
NO WAY.
>> S.NO, YEAH.
>> BUT SOMETIMES WHEN YOU LEAVE
THE STATES ON THEIR OWN, THEY
REALLY DO NEED HELP.
THEY NEED SOME MORE GUIDANCE.
THEY NEED MORE M RESOURCES.
>> WHAT IS YOUR ANTICIPATION OF
WHETHER AND HOWR THINGS CHANGE
16 DAYS AND WHAT THE BENCHMARKS
WILL BE FOR WHETHER WE ARE
TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
ORRE NOT?
>> WELL, I THINK THE ISSUE
THAT’S ON EVERYBODY’S MIND IS
THE EFFICIENCY AND THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF GETTING THE
VACCINE ROLLED OUT.
PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN HAS MADE
IT VERY CLEAR HIS GOAL IS AT
LEAST 100 MILLION DOSES IN THE
FIRST 100 DAYS, NAMELY 1 MILLION
DOSES A DAY.
WE CAN DO THAT, CHRIS.
I MEAN THIS IS SOMETHING THAT’S
DOABLE.
WE’VE HAD HISTORICALLY THINGS
THAT WE’VE DONE IN THE PAST AS
FAR BACK AS 1947 WHEN WE HAD A
BIG FULL-COURT PRESS ON GETTING
PEOPLE VACCINATED FOR SMALLPOX
IN V NEW YORK CITY.
IT CAN BE DONE.
YOU GET EVERYTHING IN THE RIGHT
PLACE, EVERYBODY COOPERATING,
EVERYBODY COLLABORATING, AND WE
COULD DO IT.
THAT’S THE MAINDO ISSUE THAT WE
WANT TO GET DONE IN THOSE FIRST
100 N DAYS.
>>RS YEAH, THE ’47 EXAMPLE, I
FORGET THE NUMBERS BUT IT’S
REMARKABLES TO LOOK AT 1947 POL
VACCINATION IN NEW YORK.
>>
YEAH, SMALLPOX, CHRIS.
WEMA VACCINATED 6,350,000 PEOPLE
IN TWO WEEKS IN ONE CITY.
>> WOW.
>> IN ONE CITY, NEW YORK CITY.
I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WAS
A 6-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO GOT
VACCINATED BACK THEN, AND THEY
DID IT.
SO IF WE CAN DO IT THAT WAY, WE
CAN DO IT NOW.
>> THE LAST TIME I I HAD YOU ON
THIS PROGRAM, I ASKED YOU, YOU
KNOW, WHEN NORMAL WOULD RETURN.
OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO ME
PLAYING PICKUP BASKETBALL.
MEMBERS OF MY GAME ARE WATCHING
FOR THIS.
YOU A BASKETBALL PLAYER FOR
REGIS HIGH SCHOOL YOURSELF, HAD
SAID THAT THE THIRD QUARTER OF
THISR YEAR, 2021, AND DEFINITEL
INTO THE FOURTH, YOU COULD PLAY
PICKUP BASKETBALL, YOU KNOW,
SWEATING IN EACH OTHER’S FACES.
HIGH SORT OF RISK ACTIVITY.
IS THAT STILL HOW YOU’RE
THINKING OF THE TIMELINE?
>> THE ANSWER, CHRIS, IS YES IF
WE GET THE PEOPLE VACCINATED WHO
CAN AND SHOULD BE VACCINATED.
I’VE SAID THAT IN ORDER TO GET
WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A GOOD
HERD IMMUNITY, WE DON’T KNOW
EXACTLY THE UNNUMBER, BUT IT’S
SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE BETWEEN
70% AND 85% OF THE PEOPLE
VACCINATED.
IF WE PUT THE KIND OF PRESSURE
ON THE WAY WE’RE TALKING NOW,
GETTING THAT 1 MILLION PEOPLE
PER DAY VACCINATED, BY THE TIME
WE GET TO THE MIDDLE AND END OF
THE SUMMER, WE COULD HAVE THAT
VEIL, THAT ENVELOPE, THAT
UMBRELLA OF HERD IMMUNITY THAT
COULD PROTECT US.
AND THEN YOUOT AND I CAN GET OUT
ON A COURT AND PLAY SOME PICKUP
BASKETBALLKU BECAUSE THE LEVEL O
VIRUS WILL BE SO LOW IN THE
COMMUNITY THAT IT WON’T POSE A
RISK A TO US.
>> FINAL QUESTION FOR YOU.
HOW WORRIED ARE YOU ABOUT THIS
NEW STRAIN, THE UK ANNOUNCING
THEY’RE SHUTTING DOWN TODAY.
THERE’S SOME DATA SUGGESTING IT
ISAT CONSIDERABLY MORE
TRANSMISSIBLE.
HOW SERIOUS SHOULD WE TAKE THIS?
>> WE TAKE IT QUITE SERIOUSLY,
CHRIS.
WHENEVER YOU GET A MUTATION THAT
LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A FUNCTIONAL
COR LAT, AND MOST MUTATIONS ARE
MEANINGLESS.
IT DOESN’T HAVE ANY EFFECT ON A
FUNCTION.
THIS ONE APPEARS TO MAKE THE
VIRUS MUCH MORE EASILY
TRANSMISSIBLE.
ONCE IT BECOMES MORE EASILY AS
TRANSMISSIBLE.
YOU’RE GOING TO GET MORE CASES.
AND WHEN YOU GET MORE CASES,
YOU’RE GOING TO M GET MORE
HOSPITALIZATIONS AND MORE
DEATHS.
SO YOU KNOW THE NUMBERS NOW.
IT’S BAD ENOUGH WITH WHAT WE’RE
GOING THROUGH NOW.
WE DON’T NEED TO GET IT WORSE.
SO THEET ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION
CHRIS, WE TAKE IT QUITE
SERIOUSLY.
>> DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, ONE OF
REGIS HIGHAU SCHOOL’S GREATEST