What can help the US see a turn in the pandemic, according to Fauci

Dr. Anthony Fauci: "No vaccine is 100% effective" 1:08

(CNN) - The

United States is accelerating to vaccinate as many people as possible to beat another wave of COVID-19 cases, and doses are being administered at a record pace.

But that's not all the United States needs to do right now.

"Let's not claim victory prematurely," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, told CNN Monday night.

“We are seeing many throwing back some of the public health measures, the mandates to use a mask, the opening of restaurants, the bars, we cannot be doing that.

We have to wait a little longer until there are enough people vaccinated so that we can clearly mitigate any surges.

And with a combination of rapid vaccination and renewed security measures, the United States could soon see a "turnaround," Fauci said, and cases could start to decline again.

But for now, reported COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are on the rise, driven by variant B.1,1.7.

This increase occurs predominantly in younger Americans, most of whom have yet to be vaccinated, top health officials say.

advertising

The dangerous strain, which experts say is more infectious and could potentially be more lethal, as well as other variants, is why it's important to stay alert, experts have said, until vaccine numbers rise enough to control the spread of the virus.

"That's why we say get vaccinated, and we don't just sing victory," Fauci said.

"Because we haven't been victorious yet."

The variants of the coronavirus are behind alarming trends in several states, including Michigan, which according to local officials is in the midst of another wave, with a rapid increase in both cases and hospitalizations.

The state has the second highest number of cases of variant B.1,1.7, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The state with the highest number of cases of the variant is Florida.

In New Jersey, where more than 950 cases of worrisome variants have been reported, patients on respirators and deaths related to the virus have risen, state health commissioner Judy Persichilli said Monday.

About 48% of the state's new hospitalizations were people under the age of 60, Persichilli added.

The U.S. is on track to reach a major vaccination milestone

The good news is that vaccination numbers are increasing rapidly.

More than 120 million Americans, about 36.4% of the population, have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to CDC data.

Meanwhile, more than 74 million people, about 22.3% of the US population, have been fully vaccinated.

Among U.S. adults, about 46.5% have received at least one dose of a vaccine so far, and the country is on track to reach half the adult population with at least one dose by the end of the week, according to a CNN analysis of CDC data.

At least 11 states have already reached that threshold.

They are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

In Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear announced a new "Team Kentucky Vaccination Challenge."

He said that when 2.5 million residents have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the state will remove most of its business capacity restrictions.

"With the vaccine supply we have, we could get there in just three and a half weeks from now," Beshear said in a press release.

"That minimum time frame may not be realistic, but we should get there in four to six weeks if we try."

So far, more than 1.6 million residents have received at least their first dose, according to the statement.

“We have to try everything to get to this point as quickly as possible.

That will help us have a more normal summer than any of us could have imagined this winter, "added the governor.

What Fauci says about eating indoors and outdoors

CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked Fauci, who has already been fully vaccinated, if he would consider dining al fresco.

Fauci said that while he's been too busy to do it recently, "in an open-air restaurant, right now, where we are, I wouldn't hesitate to do it."

And what about indoor meals for Americans who are fully vaccinated?

"What you need to do is observe the level of infection in the community," Fauci said.

And again, being vaccinated, the risk for one is very low.

It's not like before, when you weren't vaccinated and you had a lot of activity in the community and you went to an indoor restaurant where there were no (restrictions)… the risk there would be high.

Whereas now, the risk is not zero, but it is extremely low.

People will have to decide the level of risk they are willing to take, Fauci added.

"If someone is very risk averse, they will say 'no, no, I want to wait until the level of infection is very, very, very low in the community.'

While others may think a little differently, ”Fauci said.

"But the point that cannot be lost in the discussion is that by being vaccinated, fully vaccinated, the risk is drastically reduced."

More universities will require proof of vaccination

To reduce COVID-19 risks on their campuses, a growing number of colleges and universities have announced that they will require all students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to class.

Johns Hopkins University in Maryland is the latest to join the list.

All students planning to be on campus will need to be vaccinated unless they have a medical or religious reason not to do so and teachers are also strongly encouraged to get vaccinated, although it will not be mandatory for them, according to an announcement sent to the student community. on Friday.

"Our plans are based on ongoing public health strategies to promote a safe campus and community," wrote Johns Hopkins University President Ronald Daniels and other university leaders.

"Ensuring that the overwhelming percentage of our community's population is vaccinated will greatly reduce the risk of spreading the virus on our campuses and will also protect our Baltimore neighbors," they added.

According to CNN's count, there are at least 18 colleges and universities in the US that will require COVID-19 vaccines.

CNN's Deidre McPhillips, Elizabeth Stuart and Jennifer Henderson contributed to this report.

Anthony Fauci