Dr. Fauci says Omicron-specific vaccine may not be needed
The top US infectious disease official has said that manufacturing a COVID-19 vaccine that specifically targets the Omicron variant of the coronavirus would be a "prudent" move, even if it ultimately may not be needed.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, US President Joe Biden's top medical adviser and a member of the White House COVID-19 Response Team, told MSNBC on Tuesday that having ready an Omicron specific booster shot makes sense.
"We may not need it... but I think it's prudent to at least prepare for the possibility that this may be a persistent variant that we may have to face - even if it's at a very low level," he said.
Fauci pointed out that eventually, enough community immunity will hopefully build-up to prevent massive surges like the ones experienced before.
Despite the high rate of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic and all-time records of hospitalizations across the country, Fauci dismissed the likeliness of further surges such as the four to five waves that were driven by the variants so far. "I don't think we're going to be seeing that indefinitely."
Speaking on ABC’s “This Week" on Sunday, Fauci said that the Omicron wave was peaking nationally in the United States and that the coronavirus cases could fall to manageable levels in the coming months. “What we would hope is that, as we get into the next weeks to a month or so, we’ll see throughout the entire country the level of the infection get to below what I call that area of control.”
Fauci insisted that this did not mean eradicating the virus. Infections will continue. “They’re there but they don’t disrupt society,” he said. “That’s the best-case scenario.”
Majority of US Jewish teens 'sympathize with Palestinians': Survey
Malcolm X’s daughters sue US police, FBI, CIA over ‘intentional’ killing
Russian court orders Google to pay staggering fine of $20 decillion
VIDEO | Paris march in support of Palestine women
VIDEO | ICC issues arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister, ousted regime war minister
120 Palestinians perish as Israeli war machine keeps ravaging Gaza
VIDEO | Struggles of Palestinian women amidst war, displacement
VIDEO | Hezbollah rains attack drones down on elite Israeli brigade
VIDEO | US biased mediation fails
Leader: All captains of criminal, Zionist, terrorist gang must be prosecuted
Iran further raises its oil prices for Chinese buyers: Report
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
