HAS SPENT MUCH OF HIS CAREER ON THE FRONT LINES OF OUTBREAKS.
RICHARD ENGEL SPOKE
TODAY WITH THE DOCTOR.
>> Reporter: AT
WASHINGTON’S NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH,
AMERICA’S TOP VIRUS
CONTROL OFFICIAL DR.
ANTHONY FAUCI SAYS THE
CORONAVIRUS IS
SPREADING AND AMERICA
MAY NEED TO TAKE
DRASTIC ACTION.
WHAT ARE WE DEALING
WITH THIS CORONAVIRUS,
COV
.
COV . >> WE HAVE A VIRUS
THAT’S REACHED
OUTBREAK PROPORTIONS
AND LIKELY PANDEMIC
PROPORTIONS.
>> Reporter: HOW
LETHAL IS IT?
>> THE PEOPLE JUST
COME TO THE ATTENTION
OF THE HEALTH
AUTHORITIES, THAT’S 2
TO 2%.
IF IT GOES DOWN TO 1%,
THAT’S STILL VERY,
VERY SERIOUS.
>> Reporter: SO
SERIOUS WORLDWIDE THE
FLU, WHICH WE’VE
GOTTEN USED TO, KILLS
300 TO 650,000 PEOPLE
A YEAR.
THAT’S JUST .1% OF THE
PEOPLE IT INFECTS.
CORONAVIRUS, EVEN IF
LOW ESTIMATES ARE
CORRECT APPEARS TO BE
FAR MORE DEADLY.
>> SO IF IT WENT FROM
2% TO 1, YOU STILL ARE
TEN TIMES MORE LETHAL
THAN THE STANDARD
INFLUENZA THAT WE GET
ON A SEASONAL BASIS.
>> Reporter: PEOPLE
ARE SCARED TO RIDE THE
SUBWAY AND SOMEBODY
COUGHS RIGHT NOW.
YOU CAN SEE THE FEAR
ON PEOPLE’S FACE.
ARE THEY RIGHT IF
SOMEBODY IS COUGHING
ON THE BUS, SHOULD YOU
GET OFF?
>> NO.
GETTING OFF IS NOT
GOING TO HELP.
>> Reporter: WHAT
ABOUT SPORTING EVENTS?
ABOUT CONCERTS?
>> WE’RE NOT THERE
YET.
BUT IF AND WHEN WE DO,
AND IT MAY BE WHEN
BECAUSE WE’RE SEEING A
LOT OF COMMUNITY
SPREAD, WE NEED TO BE
AT LEAST THINKING
ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY,
IF WE GET A MAJOR
OUTBREAK OF THIS
CORONAVIRUS IN THIS
COUNTRY.
THAT WOULD MEAN
PERHAPS CLOSING
SCHOOLS TEMPORARILY,
GETTING PEOPLE TO DO
MORE TELEWORKING.
CHANCE LING
CANCELLING EVENTS
WITH A LOT OF CROWDS
IN SMALL PLACES AND
CANCELLING UNNECESSARY
TRAVEL SO YOU’RE NOT
ON AN AIRPLANE FOR
FIVE HOURS WITH PEOPLE
INFECTED.
>> Reporter: THAT
WOULD BE A HUGE STEP.
IT WOULD HAVE AN
ENORMOUS ECONOMIC,
SOCIETY, ECONOMICAL.
>> IT WOULD BE
TEMPORARY BUT IT WOULD
BE NECESSARY.
>> Reporter: THERE ARE
PEOPLE SHRUGGING THIS
OFF SAYING IT’S JUST
LIKE THE FLU.
>> IT’S NOT BECAUSE
IT’S BRAND-NEW.
WHEN YOU HAVE A
BRAND-NEW VIRUS IN
WHICH NOBODY HAS HAD
ANY EXPERIENCE BEFORE,
THAT GIVERS THE VIRUS
KIND OF AN OPEN ROAD