Dr. Anthony Fauci pleaded with young Americans who have tested positive for COVID-19 to take responsibility and follow safety guidelines so that they don’t spread the disease to vulnerable people. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, delivered his address during a White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing Friday. He noted that there has been a surge of positive coronavirus cases across the nation and the majority are under the age of 35.

According to Fox News, Fauci warned young people that “a risk for you is not just isolated for you. You are innocently and inadvertently propagating the process of a pandemic.” He was referring to the large number of young Americans who do not take social distancing to heart and continue to meet up with friends which he said was understandable.

“But when you do that, you are part of a process. When you get infected, you will infect someone else who will infect someone else and ultimately you will infect someone who is vulnerable,” he stated.

Vice President Pence said he applauded young people for getting tested, noting that the age group is less likely to be symptomatic and are less susceptible. However, he cautioned, “none of us want to bring the disease back to our parents, grandparents, moms and dads…or a friend who has an immunodeficiency.”

Many states including Florida, Texas and Utah are facing a frightening uptick of new coronavirus cases. Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attributed a large portion of increasing case numbers to young people. CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said that while younger, asymptomatic individuals are at a lower risk of complications and death from COVID-19, they many “unwittingly” transmit the virus to elders and those with underlying health conditions.