Give us your best estimate about what we're heading for here and what you
would have us do to get ready for it. Well, David, thanks for having me.
As we look forward to the winner, you know, what we have to look at is where
we've been the last couple of years with Covid, which is that each year we've
seen an increase in Covid cases in wintertime and we should be prepared for
that happening this winter as well. Typically in the winter, we also see flu
cases rise. And in some parts of the country, we're
already starting to see that increase in flu cases.
This is why it's so important that everyone take the precautions that they
can to protect themselves against a worse outcomes at both Covid and flu.
And in this case, that's getting vaccinated for both.
The good news is we have updated Covid vaccines that people can take now that
are targeted in particular for the B A five variant of Covid.
That's the dominant strain right now circulating the US.
And if you're at least two months out from your last shot, you're eligible to
take those as long as you're five years of age and up.
So I would encourage folks to do that. And also, you get your flu shot.
You can get them both at the same time. That's in fact, what I did.
And that will give you your best protection against hospitalization and
death from this virus during this winter.
Doctor, do you have up to date numbers on the extent to which people are
getting that? Is the Bible a version, right?
That address be a five, that newest version of the booster?
What kind of take up or you're getting on that?
Well, we've actually been seeing the uptake increase in the millions of
people have already gotten the vaccine. We anticipate more will, you know, ISE,
especially over the next few weeks as winter gets closer.
We want everyone, though, to get vaccinated as quickly as they can,
especially because what we can predict with great precision, the exact date,
you know, that somebody may get get ill. The best thing that we can do is to
prepare because, you know, there's still virus circulating.
And I will say this also that we've learned a lot in the last couple of
years about Covid-19 and come a long way.
We've actually been able to save hundreds of thousands of lives because
people have gotten vaccinated, ended up protection on board.
But even though we've made tremendous progress and we've been able to get back
so much of our lives, it's important that we maintain this protection that
many of us have and that that's where the vaccines come in.
What we've seen, especially in folks who are older, David, is that if you are
vaccinated, your chances of actually ending up in the hospital or dying from
Covid-19 are dramatically lower. And finally, just keep this in mind,
too. Even if you do get vaccinated, whether
you are or not. There are treatments available for
Covid-19 that we want people to know about.
And if you are in a high risk group, if you're, you know, older or if you've got
multiple medical conditions, it put you at higher risk.
I know that there are medications available like Paxil that which you can
reach for and which also dramatically reduce the chances that you will end up
in a hospital or get sick if you have an infection.
Dr. Fauci, let's turn to something that is
to some extent a separate issue and I know for years, but also is linked.
I believe for some reason it's our mental health.
I know that's something you've really wanted to make a priority of yours.
And there are reports now that the Milhouse in general across the country
is suffering a it in part because of the pandemic.
Where are we on mental health in this country?
Well, I'm glad the U.S., David, because a lot of people are really struggling
right now when it comes to their mental health and well-being.
Covid certainly has been a factor there. It's taken a toll.
We've seen rates of anxiety and depression increase across the
population, particularly among young people.
But the truth is, even before the pandemic, we were struggling as a
country, especially with kids. Keep this number in mind.
We've had a 57 percent increase in the suicide rate among young people in the
decade prior to the pandemic. And this is one of the reasons why I've
made mental health and well-being my priority as surgeon general.
Because this is really the foundation of society.
Our mental health impacts how we show up in the workplace, how we show up at
school, how we show for our families and our communities.
And that's one of the reasons why yesterday I released a framework on
workplace mental health and wellbeing. It's the first time this has ever been
released from the office of the surgeon general.
But I did so because we've realized that workplaces actually have a powerful
impact on mental health. And we are now seeing that 81 percent of
workers are saying that they want to work in a place that supports a mental
health and well-being. When you actually make that investment
in mental health, then we lay out five key essentials through which you can do
so by investing in protecting workers from harm and building social connection
and commuting the workplace by helping support work life harmony, supporting
opportunities for growth and helping people understand the value of their
work that they value are valued to work. If you do this, you build a foundation
for mental health that not only helps workers, but it turns out the data is
increasingly showing us. It helps the bottom line of businesses
increases productivity as well as retention, which we know is an important
cost center for workplaces. Let me ask the toughest question, I
think, Doctor, maybe an unfair question we have in this country.
A substantial and growing problem is people experiencing homelessness.
And what I've read is there is a fairly high coincidence between mental health
issues, substance abuse and many of the people experiencing homelessness.
What should we be doing as a society to address those that really need health
help to help those who are on the street?
Well, it's a critical question. Dividends go together, you know, as a
doctor, I've cared for many patients who are homeless over the years and I've
seen them. Many of them have struggled with mental
health concerns. And these two can often go together.
You know, sometimes people who are struggling with severe mental illness or
a greater risk of being left out in a sense and falling through the cracks and
homelessness is is one end result of that.
But we also know the experience of homelessness itself is incredibly
stressful. And if you're somebody who's had
depression before, if you're prone to anxiety, then that is stressful
experience can really push you over. So what we need to do is several things.
One, we've got to make health, mental health care more accessible to people.
And there's steps we've already taken over the last year and a half.
I think the American rescue plan and specific measures to expand access to
certified community behavioral health centers, that will help in that in that
regard. And technology is an important part of
it. Technology helps us make mental health
care available to people, even if they're not around a provider.
We've also got addressed homelessness itself.
And that means making sure people have places where they can actually live,
have a roof over their heads, be protected from the elements and making
sure those places connect them to care. That's also going to be an essential
part of the solution.