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Fauci Says COVID Deaths Undercounted, Seasonal Mask-Wearing ‘Quite Possible’

Fauci
Photo by Erin Scott-Pool/Getty Images

U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci gave a gloomy forecast on Mother’s Day. That wearing a mask could become a seasonal mandate. Speaking on NBC News Meet the Press on Sunday, Fauci said it is “quite possible” that we could see seasonal mask-wearing.

Fauci cited Australia as an example for allegedly having a mild flu season due to diligent mask-wearing. “It is conceivable that in a year or two, that during certain seasonal periods with respiratory-borne diseases, people might elect to wear masks,” he said.

“When you have the ability of a particular virus to go further than just a few feet, clearly one of the most important things is proper ventilation, and number two, mask-wearing” added Fauci who emphasized wearing masks in an environment with unvaccinated people is “already a CDC recommendation anyway.”

When Chuck Todd asked about Biden’s goal to have 70% of U.S. adults vaccinated, Fauci said “I believe it is a reasonable goal” and went on to mention some non-traditional suggestions to “get that last group of people that seem to be recalcitrant.”

Measures include dispatch “trusted messengers” such as sports figures, celebrities and entertainment figures, clergy and doctors to combat vaccine hesitancy and expand accessibility with pharmacies and “mobile units to go out into not easily accessible areas.”

As for COVID deaths? Todd felt the need to remind the doctor, in case he hadn’t heard, that over 900,000 Americans have died from COVID to which Fauci responded, “we have been undercounting.”

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