US is "out of the Covid pandemic phase," according to Anthony Fauci
Key Takeaways:
- In terms of new infections, hospitalizations, and deaths, the country is "out of the pandemic phase," but Covid-19 appears to be shifting to endemic disease.
- Cases have surged by about 25% in the last week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Anthony Fauci has given an upbeat analysis of the present state of the coronavirus in the United States, saying that the country is "out of the pandemic phase" in terms of new infections, hospitalizations, and deaths but that it appears to be transitioning to Covid-19 becoming an endemic disease, with outbreaks regularly occurring in some areas.
On Tuesday, on the PBS "NewsHour," Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease specialist, stated that the coronavirus remains a pandemic for much of the world but that the threat to the United States is not ended, adding that he was referring about the worst phase of the epidemic.
"To put it another manner, we don't have 900,000 new infections every day, tens of thousands of hospitalizations, and thousands of fatalities." "Right now, we're at a low point," he remarked.
Fauci seemed to clarify his earlier words in comments to The Washington Post on Wednesday, noting that, unlike the "full-blown explosive pandemic phase" during the harsh winter omicron surge, he was describing a period of transition toward the coronavirus becoming an endemic disease.
"The world stays in the grip of a pandemic. That is, without a doubt, the case. That should not be misconstrued in any way. "We are still amid a pandemic," Fauci told the Washington Post.
His remarks come as health officials struggle to keep Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations under control while learning to cope with a continuously evolving and unpredictable virus. The Biden administration has emphasized that the country now has more tools — immunizations, booster doses, and treatments — than it did early in the pandemic to better handle illnesses.
Cases in the United States are far lower than in recent months. However, as extremely contagious strains continue to spread, health officials keep a tight eye on the situation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases have increased by nearly 25% in the last week.