Fauci: Wear Mask, Stay Distant to Avoid Lockdown

WASHINGTON (AP) —
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies during the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing in Washington, July 31. (Kevin Dietsch/Pool via Reuters)

Dr. Anthony Fauci said that he doesn’t believe the United States will need to go into lockdown to fight the coronavirus if people double down on wearing masks and social distancing.

The nation’s top infectious disease expert said “the cavalry is coming” in the form of vaccines. He said, “Help is really on the way.”

Fauci told the ABC on Thursday that vaccines being developed “are going to have a major positive impact” once they start being deployed in December and early into 2021. He said he hopes by April, May and June “the ordinary citizen should be able to get” a vaccine.

In the meantime, Fauci said there are fundamental things Americans can do to stem the spread of the deadly virus. They include “universal and uniform” wearing of masks, avoiding crowds, keeping social distance and washing hands. He says that sounds simple against a very difficult challenge but “it really does make a difference.”

The U.S. leads the world with more than 241,000 deaths and 10 million coronavirus cases.

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