Although COVID-19 infections are rising, Dr. Anthony Fauci, former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told ABC News' "This Week" on Sunday that experts are not expecting hospitalizations and death to match numbers from the pandemic.
"People who have been vaccinated, boosted, people who have been infected like you and I, where we have hybrid immunity, the chances of this being an overwhelming rush of cases and hospitalizations is probably low," said Fauci, now a Georgetown University professor.
Fauci said that while he isn't "alarmed" by the rise in the number of cases, "I'm certainly keeping an eye on it." He added that "there's no doubt that this is going on, and since we're now at the end of the summer it is likely that it will increase as we get into the fall and the winter, we need to be prepared for it."
Fauci also said that the next COVID-19 booster, which is expected to soon be authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will be an effective means to prevent the spread as it is "going to be pretty well matched to the kinds of viruses that are now circulating."
Fauci, who became a divisive public health figure due in part to the masking recommendations that were imposed during the pandemic, said he does not expect federal mask mandates this time.
"I can see that if we get a significant uptick in cases that you may see the recommendation that masks be used under certain circumstances and indoor crowded settings, but … certainly not federal mandates," he said. "I would be extremely surprised if we would see that."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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