Most Americans can probably agree that the coronavirus outbreak is continuing to transform everyday life. According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, that is something Americans should expect.
Fauci stopped by CNN’s “State of the Union” to discuss the nationwide response to the coronavirus as well as how it will continue to affect the lives of Americans.
CNN’s Brianna Keilar asked if Fauci really believed that hundreds of thousands of Americans could die from this.
Fauci responded, “We have to be realistic and honest, yes.” He continued, “It is possible. Our job, our challenge, is to try and make that not happen.”
Watch his comments below
“For a while, life is not going to be the way it used to be in the United States. We have to just accept that if we want to do what’s best for the American public," Dr. Anthony Fauci says about coronavirus mitigation measures. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/kV2FyHcaIx
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) March 15, 2020
He touched on how some Americans believe others are overreacting. Fauci commented, “I like it when people think I’m overreacting because that means we are doing it just right.”
Keilar explained that 250 people died over a 24 hour period in Italy and how a Seattle area hospital is predicting that its coronavirus trajectory “is likely to be similar to that of northern Italy.”
She proceeded to ask Fauci if that is something that he is expecting.
He replied, “If we do not successfully do what I just said, prevent infections from coming in and dealing with the ones we have.” He continued, “This is a bad virus, certainly, it is conceivable that if we don’t do that you could get as bad as Italy.”
Fauci proceeded to explain that if the United States does what it is saying to, it won’t get to that point.
The conversation pivoted to Fuaci explaining what Americans should be expecting from this.
He said, “We need to be very serious about, for a while, life is not going to be the way it used to be in the United States.” He added, “We have to just accept that if we want to do what’s best for the American public.”
According to reports, more than 3,000 cases have reached the United States and a national emergency has been declared.