Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made the network rounds Sunday, where he continued to deliver information about the coronavirus pandemic to American audiences.
Fauci has said things will get worse in the United States before they get better, but he's also made it clear Americans still have the opportunity to reduce the virus' affect and avoid European-style lockdowns, so long as they limit social interactions and commit to other preventative measures.
That optimism isn't an excuse to relax, though. Fauci doesn't envision the U.S. needing to take such drastic steps as banning all domestic travel, but he still prefers the country be "overly aggressive," and encouraged people to avoid bars, restaurants, and non-essential travel. As he put it, he'd rather be criticized for overreacting than doing too little.
The idea of some sort of a 14-day national shutdown was floated by Chuck Todd; Dr. Fauci didn't mention it unprompted.
Fauci answered: "I would prefer as much as we possibly could. I think we should really be overly aggressive and get criticized for overreacting." pic.twitter.com/txKPHact4u
- Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) March 15, 2020
He also had a message for Americans in Europe - there is no need to rush back. President Trump's travel ban doesn't apply to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, Fauci reminded viewers while indicating it's better to avoid massive crowds at airports that could risk spreading infections. Tim O'Donnell
More stories from theweek.com"We'd like to not see crowds like that," Dr. Fauci said of long lines at O'Hare and other airports during coronavirus outbreak.
"You don't need to rush back. ... If you are an American citizen, you will be able to get back. It's not going to be a problem," he said on Fox News. https://t.co/3FHBUMSB3M
- Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) March 15, 2020
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