Fauci: New COVID Variant Might Make Us Go Back to a ‘Degree of Mitigation’ — ‘We Can’t Just Say We’re Done’

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday on CNN’s “The Lead” that the new BA.2 variant of COVID could cause America to go back to wearing masks.

Anchor Jake Tapper said, “The director general of the World Health Organization is sounding the alarm, though, saying that the pandemic is not over. Do you think it was too soon to move to the new metrics that allow so many Americans to not have to wear masks?”

Fauci said, “Jake, it’s not too soon if you observe the caveat that’s associated with that. And the caveat is we need to be flexible. And if, in fact, we do see a turn-around and a resurgence, we have to be able to pivot and go back to any degree of mitigation that is commensurate with what the situation is. So we can’t just say we’re done. Now we’re going to move on. We’ve got to be able to be flexible because we’re dealing with a dynamic situation. Hopefully, the cases will continue to come down as the weather gets warmer, the risk of being indoor is less, and we’ll do well, at least for the coming several months.”

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