U.S. is coming out of “full-blown pandemic phase.”
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said that restrictions on account of the COVID-19 pandemic could end “soon,” even as early as this year. He does not believe “we are going to eradicate this virus,” but said that it will instead reach an “equilibrium.”
“I hope we are looking at a time when we have enough people vaccinated and enough people with protection from previous infection that the COVID restrictions will soon be a thing of the past,” he said. He said “soon” could be by the end of this year.
Dr. Fauci also said that, as the U.S. heads out of the Omicron phase, local health departments will be the ones to make virus-related decisions instead of the president’s administration.
He also indicated that not every American will need a regular COVID vaccine booster in the future. “It will depend on who you are, but if you are a normal, healthy 30-year-old person with no underlying conditions, you might need a booster only every four or five years.” He added, “There will also be more people making their own decisions on how they want to deal with the virus.”
Meanwhile, some states have recently started lifting their COVID restrictions. Officials in Oregon, New Jersey, Connecticut, California and Delaware have all announced plans to drop indoor mask mandates in the coming months.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the president and his health advisors as they continue to monitor the coronavirus.
- For officials in Health and Human Services, the CDC, FDA, and NIAID as they evaluate public health, treatments, and therapeutics.
- With gratitude for the waning of the strength of the virus and the lifting of mandates.
Sources: Financial Times, Axios, Newsweek
