We won't have Anthony Fauci anymore. After 38 years in government service, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as well as the White House's chief medical advisor, is leaving his jobs.
He has been through a lot in the past three years. The country sympathized with him as he tried to understand the challenges of Covid while his former White House boss claimed it was no worse than flu. Fauci's role as the highly qualified, avuncular explainer-in-chief heading a critical research lab made him a target for those who sniffed conspiracy or simply got sick of following guidelines that might save their lives.
The nation is in a weird place on the eve of Fauci leaving government. We have decided we are done with Covid. Covid isn't finished with us. Many thousands are living with the misery of long Covid after 2,504 Americans died last week. People who wear masks are ridiculed. Fauci got Covid when he briefly let his guard down.
In my fourth interview with Dr. Fauci, I wanted to ask him about how he sees the psychology of denial and what we can expect this winter. The interview has been edited to make it clearer.
Steven Levy wants to discuss this winter. Do you think the new Covid variant BQ.1 and BQ.1 will dominate very soon?
It seems like it's going in that direction. They went from a few to a few to a few. As we have seen in other countries, those variant will play a role. They are not alone. You know, there is BA4. There are others that are still in other countries.
Right, those variant are problematic.
They are different and evasive. They don't get some of the antibodies that have been effective. They are subdivisions of the current dominant variations. Although the vaccine isn't exactly matched to the variant, I believe there will be enough cross-reactivity not to cause a very serious issue among those who've been vaccinations and boosted.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
