Dr. Anthony Fauci doubled down on his signature cautious optimism as he discussed the flattening of COVID-19 cases nationwide during an interview on the TODAY Show Wednesday morning.
After reiterating his line that he envisions a “rolling reentry” for states that won’t be uniform across the board, Fauci warned that “pulling back” on mitigation efforts prematurely will prompt more infections.
However, when asked whether he feels that the worst is behind us in light of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo saying that there’s been a plateau in the state’s COVID-19 cases, Fauci agreed that we are “for the most part,” with a “couple of exceptions.”
“There are still a couple of cities right now that we’re worried about that haven’t yet peaked and turned around,” Fauci said. “But if you look at the New York metropolitan area as kind of the prototype that’s been driving this through the country, and then look at the country as a whole, there’s no doubt that what we’ve seen over the past several days is a flattening-out.”
Fauci added that COVID-19 cases New York are starting to come down regarding hospitalizations, need for intensive care and intubation, and that he hopes that “trend will continue.”
“So as I say, I’m a very cautious person, but we are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel,” Fauci said.
Watch Fauci’s remarks below:
This is premature. We need to get through April to see where we are. We’re on track for 1 million cases. Our implied fatality rate at the moment is 8%-14% depending on how far back you think a case takes to resolve in terms of recovery vs fatalities. If we keep pumping cases into the system it mean we’re in the community spread phase and more people will die. Keep the social distancing through May and I think we have a chance to ease measures over the summer.
“So as I say, I’m a very cautious person, but we are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel,” Fauci said.
Every damned time Fauci utters something like this he wipes out all previous admonitions about approaching the relaxation of mitigation efforts slowly and carefully. Trump hears this shit and yells to the assembled room “Let’s open her up!!”
Trump won’t even make it to May 1st before he decrees the worst is over, everyone back to work and play. Mark it.
That’s what he’s intending to do. CDC is actually making a move to push that date back towards the end of May. They know we’re not ready. Without testing, the only thing keeping us from the absolute Imperial College level worst case scenario is social distancing.
Trump’s decision is made, and the CDC is a nest of Deep State operatives bent on destroying Trump, and America.