Coronavirus US Updates: Fauci, ‘Do not abandon’ distancing, masks in anticipation of vaccine

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is urging the public to “not abandon” public health measures “in anticipation of a vaccine.”

“When you’re talking about public health measures, there are many, many things that we can do,” Fauci said at a briefing Thursday hosted by the Alliance of Public Health. “But you can distill them down to five or six that everyone should be doing: masks, physical distancing, avoiding crowds, outdoor better than indoor, washing your hands with soap and water or with an alcohol-based type of sanitizer.”

Fauci said we could see different scenarios as we get into flu season this fall, including a situation where the seasonal flu is crowded out by COVID-19 infections.

But he said he hopes to see more people getting the flu shot this year. Approximately 170 million people did last year.

That combined with COVID-19 public health measures could result in a “blunted” season for both, he said.

“That’s a goal that we should aspire to that I think is possible,” Fauci said.