Fauci: Allowing virus to replicate could make 'worse variant' that 'could impact the vaccinated'
By: Peter Aitken (Fox News)
Dr. Anthony Fauci, please, stop pretending this is about science any longer. Just stop. Fauci's pretense of science is obfuscating and obscuring reality to sell political narratives. As a result, the United States is woefully unprepared to address what's happening in the real world. Fauci's politics won't protect the United States.
Dr. Fauci is talking about gain-of-function; the COVID virus can mutate in the wild to gain function that lowers the efficacy of vaccines. That's a very real possibility. But Fauci is attempting to obscure that possibility because of how Fauci has politicized the origin of the Alpha variant that began the pandemic. Fauci has to use vague, opaque language to protect the political narrative he played a large role in concocting. That's not helpful. Fauci can either protect China or protect the United States; Fauci can't do both. One or the other has to be thrown under the bus.
None of the COVID variants that have become widespread originated in the United States. The Alpha variant originated in China and was brought into the United States by infected people entering the country. The Beta variant originated in Europe and was brought to the United States by infected people entering the country. The Delta variant originated in India and was brought into the United States by infected people entering the country. The Lambda variant, that has been discussed as a potential threat, originated in South America and did not originate in the United States. The possibility of a gain-of-function mutation emerging in the United States is a serious potential threat that can't be dismissed. But the clearly identified and known threat throughout the pandemic has been infected people entering the United States. The United States is at greater risk from a gain-of-function mutation emerging elsewhere and being brought into the United States by infected people. The unvaccinated population AND the vaccinated population in the United States are at greater much greater risk because infected people are being allowed to enter the United States. Dr. Fauci (and other science experts) refuse to discuss that reality.
We know that the COVID coronavirus can jump from animals to humans AND can jump from humans to animals. Dr. Fauci (and other science experts) have told the public with certainty that bats are susceptible. There have also been verified reports of cats, dogs, minks, weasels, and other animals becoming infected. The COVID coronavirus is circulating within animal populations, too. And a gain-of-function mutation of the COVID virus can occur within that animal population. Yet Dr. Fauci (and other science experts) are deliberately ignoring that risk to focus attention on scapegoating the unvaccinated population for political purposes.
The clinical trial data showed that the COVID virus would continue to circulate in the vaccinated population. None of the vaccines were 100 pct effective at preventing infection and spread of the virus. But that was not the goal for the vaccines. The vaccines proved to be 100 pct effective at preventing severe symptoms that result in hospitalization and death. The purpose of the vaccines were to prevent debilitating sickness and death. Dr. Fauci (and other science experts) tout the effectives of the vaccines in preventing severe symptoms but obfuscate and obscure that the virus will still circulate within the vaccinated population.
Dr. Fauci's political narrative may be comforting and reassuring but Dr. Fauci is not telling the public about the real threats and risks. Dr. Fauci is pretending that what is happening now is about science but that simply is not reality. It is impossible for science to control spread of the COVID virus at this point. Dr. Fauci is only pretending this is about science.
For those refusing to be vaccinated, the threats and risks are numerous and beyond anyone's control. Even God cannot save you now; it's too late to paint the lentil with lamb's blood. Death has been sent to roam the Earth. The vaccines work. The vaccines are the best hope of avoiding debilitating sickness and death. None of this about science any longer in spite of Anthony Fauci's political bleating. Science has done all that it can do; there's nothing more.
Now it's up to you.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Dr. Anthony Fauci has warned that allowing the coronavirus delta variant to circulate freely among unvaccinated individuals could lead to a more potent variant that could harm even vaccinated individuals.
The delta variant has already given rise to a small variant known as "delta plus" variant that has a spike protein mutation that may cause it to spread faster. So far, the variant has appeared in only a few cases in several countries, but the original delta variant rapidly spread through the United States and became the dominant strain after only a few months.
So far, health officials have argued, and studies have shown, that vaccinated individuals remain protected from serious illness, hospitalization and death due to current variants of COVID-19. Fauci cautioned, however, that unvaccinated individuals will allow the virus to circulate and continue to mutate, potentially giving rise to a variant that could harm even vaccinated individuals.
"There's a tenet that everybody knows in virology: a virus will not mutate unless you allow it to replicate," Fauci told NBC's Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press." "Fortunately for us, the vaccines do quite well against delta, particularly in protecting you from severe disease, but if you give the virus the chance to continue to change, you're leading to a vulnerability that we might get a worse variant, and then that will impact not only the unvaccinated, that will impact the vaccinated because that variant could evade the protection of the vaccine."
Fauci has urged Americans to vaccinate as soon as they are able to in order to guard against the coronavirus, and he voiced his support for several measures to ensure the nation reaches the appropriate coverage.
Full authorization of the current vaccines may provide the much-needed confidence for Americans who have otherwise remained hesitant to finally get the vaccine.
"I've said it several times … that you're not going to see a federally from the federal government mandating vaccines for the country," Fauci said. "But I'm almost certain in fact, I am certain that as soon as the FDA fully approves the vaccines … I hope that it will be within the next few weeks. I hope it's within the month of August."
Fauci explained that authorization may also allow businesses, universities and other such private entities to mandate vaccines.
"The time has come is we've got to go the extra step to get people vaccinated," he added.
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At this point, refusing the vaccine will only harm you. Science has done all it can do; there's nothing more. Now it's up to you.
What problem do you have with this communication by Fauci?
Fauci is a hypocrite. He says nothing about public meetings of liberal groups in liberal cities or about the border situation and then blasts an outdoor event in Sturgis, South Dakota a rural town in a red state.
Another superspreader event in the state where Noem only cares about money and doesn't give a shit about how many die from Co-Vid.
Typical partisan bullshit, cherry-picking to support a partisan accusation.
That's all some appear to have hear - along with mis-dis-information, projection, denial, and outright LIES.
463 infections out of approximately 460,000 people. .001 (one tenth of one percent) infection rate. YUGE super spreader............../s And last I had read 1 death attributed to that event.
They tested all 463,000 people? Thats the only way the infection rate you cite would be accurate.
To get the infection rate you have to divide the 463 by the number of people who were tested.
Sorry pal but the cases were reported by state and local officials in 39 states which had people that attended the event to see just how bad it was. The 460K was the estimated number of attendees.,
And then there is the super spreader President deliberately bringing covid positive illegals and resettling them in red communities around the nation in vain hopes of coercing us into locking down and masking up again.
Those were last year’s accurate results.
Hard to imagine why one would write such utter nonsense. Is it trolling or a desire to look foolish?
So you have some actual proof of this other than your delusional fantasies? [[delete]]
As I said, the ONLY way the rate you cited would be accurate is if all 460,000 people who were at the rally were tested afterwards.
The infection rate is number of infections divided by number of tests. Period.
If 460,000 people were tested afterward your rate is correct. Do you know if everyone who went there was tested afterwards?
All I know is what I read and how the number was arrived at. Do you honestly think that if people got sick afterward they just "toughed it out" and didn't get checked? As deadly as this shit is that would be the dumbest thing ever.
That doesn't address what Dr. Fauci said. He's talking science, not politics. Is there anything wrong with his statement about the virus? Try addressing that and leave the political BS out!
To answer your question, both.
You don't know hard-core bikers do you?
The COVID virus is circulating within the vaccinated population and the animal population. A gain-of-function mutation can occur within the vaccinated population and within the animal population. It's more likely that a more infectious and resilient variant will be brought into the country by infected people or animals entering the country. That's reality.
Dr. Fauci is weaving a political narrative that scapegoats the unvaccinated to achieve a political goal. Fauci wants the numbers to look good for a political victory. Dr. Fauci does not present reality as it is. Dr. Fauci is deliberately ignoring real risks and threats that scientific effort cannot address.
Science has done all it can do; there's nothing more. None of this is about science any longer.
It's ignorance and hate and mis-dis-information allowing this to spread - the ignorance falls on the unvaccinated and those refusing to get vaccinated.
It's not Dr. Fauci that is not dealing in reality
Dr. Fauci made a logical and correct statement. You cannot even seem to acknowledge that he is warning that we need to continue to take measures to reduce infection because of the possibility of mutation that could affect not only the unvaccinated but the vaccinated.
You have also dealt in misinformation. It is likely that a large portion of people attending the Sturgis rally have been vaccinated. Characterizing the Sturgis rally as a superspreader event is based upon elitist political stereotyping and not based upon science. At least not the science presented to the public by scientific experts like Dr. Fauci.
Either Dr. Fauci is hiding the science from the public that vaccinated people can cause superspreader events - or - Dr. Fauci is engaged in naked politics that has nothing to do with science. In either case, there's little reason to trust Dr. Fauci's blathering.
I've already presented the reality of a gain-of-function mutation as a threat to the human and animal population. And I've explained that the risks and threats of a more infectious and resilient gain-of-function mutation emerging is beyond the ability of science to address.
The time has come to acknowledge that none of this is about science any longer. Science has done all that science can do; there's nothing more.
Great, you tell me that you stated the problem of mutation yet again refuse to give Fauci credit for accurately stating that this is an ongoing concern for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
Why do you refuse to acknowledge that what Fauci said is good information to help people recognize the need for remaining vigil?
I only deal in truth and facts.
I trust Dr. Fauci and the experts in his field.
I don't trust your blathering.
Dr. Fauci did not accurately address harsh reality. Dr. Fauci presented a skewed, biased, and politicized version of reality. Dr. Fauci has not prepared the country for that harsh reality and certainly doesn't deserve a participation award.
There aren't any scientific miracles left. There is nothing more science can do. Defending science in this harsh reality is pointless. Science no longer provides authority for addressing the pandemic; science is finished and there's nothing more.
Pray. Rage at the sky. Scream into a pillow. At this point, those would be more effective than allowing oneself to be reassured into complacency by Dr. Fauci. After everyone has been scapegoated and/or coerced into being vaccinated, the country will still be at high risk from the threat of a gain-of-function mutation emerging somewhere and being brought into the country by infected people or animals. Dr. Fauci sweeps that harsh reality under the rug by deliberately ignoring science to push a political narrative.
Science has done all that science can do; there's nothing more. Now it's up to you.
First, per the CDC , vaccinated people are less likely to be infected and thus serve as hosts for mutations and then transmit the mutations to others:
Thus common sense is aligned with science: the more people vaccinated, the fewer potential hosts for variants.
Second, the world is always at risk of a new virus (or variant of an extant virus). Prior to COVID-19 emerging, the world was at risk that a virus like COVID-19 would emerge. Obviously, right? So it would be counterproductive (and irresponsible) for Fauci to tell the world that no matter how well we fight the COVID-19 known variants that some new virus (or variant) might still infect us. An asteroid might hit the planet; should we run about telling everyone that this is possible?
Rather, it is best to focus on the fight at hand and that is COVID-19 and extant variants. And the best we can do (here and worldwide) is to encourage the unvaccinated to get vaccinated and reduce the potential hosts for mutations.
That was before the gain-of-function Delta variant was brought into the country. And the coronavirus continues to mutate in the human and animal populations around the world. There's not a thing science can do about that.
Just because the COVID virus did not kill you this time doesn't mean the COVID virus won't kill you next time.
We're not dealing with hypotheticals. The COVID virus is here, now. The risk is no longer a hypothetical abstraction; the risk is real and imminent. Science doesn't have any more silver bullets. Science doesn't have any new miracles. Science has done all that science can do and the COVID virus is still circulating, still mutating, and still a tangible risk.
The best that science has to offer are vaccines. The vaccines are safe. The vaccines prevent debilitating sickness and death. That's all there is, there is nothing more. There aren't magic masks. There aren't super sanitizers. And there won't be herd immunity. The vaccines are the last miracle that science has. Science cannot control the COVID virus; the virus is spreading and the virus is mutating and the virus is causing sickness and death. The virus is jumping from animals to humans AND from humans to animals. Nature is in control and science is helpless to do more than offer vaccines.
Science has done all that science can do; there's nothing more. Now its up to you.
No, that is now. Vaccinated people are less likely to be infected by COVID-19 and variants ... and that includes the Delta variant.
Yeah Nerm that is what I am talking about. Deal with COVID-19 and extant variants now.
What you continue to miss (I suspect willfully ignore) is that vaccines greatly reduce the chance of a host being infected and thus reduce the number of possible hosts in which variants mutate.
So, Nerm, we encourage people to vaccinate, social distance, wear masks, etc. to reduce the number of infections. Fewer infections yield fewer mutations yield gaining control over the virus.
Indeed. Vaccinated, masks, distance, ect., are all just common sense ND effective measures to prevent infection and contain the spread of Covid. I'm not sure what the issue is or why so many seem to have an issue with it.
After a year and a half, that's all we have. Stay home, wear masks, social distance, get vaccinated. That's the best science can offer. And there's nothing more. That's it. That's all there is.
At the beginning of the pandemic we had CDC guidelines to stay home, wear masks, and social distance. At the beginning of the pandemic we had untested vaccines.
Now we have CDC guidelines to stay home, wear masks, and social distance. And today we have tested vaccines. That's the best science can offer. And there's nothing more. That's it. That's all there is.
It's always been up to you; that hasn't changed either.
You are complaining that science has not done more than a vaccine? You surely understand that the world is trying to find a cure for COVID-19. If such is found then 'science' will have produced that as well.
Seems to me that you are complaining for the sake of complaining. Yes, science has not magically solved all of our problems with this virus. This is the real world, not some naive fantasy.
I'm not complaining. What I'm telling you is the harsh reality. Science has done all that science can do; there's nothing more.
Dr. Anthony Fauci can lead the country in a circle jerk but the best science can offer is stay home, wear a mask, social distance, get vaccinated. That's the harsh reality that Fauci refuses to tell the country. Fauci can politically scapegoat goats for spreading the virus but that doesn't change the harsh reality that science has done all that science can do.
There aren't any scientific miracles left. What there is is all there is. Fauci can only play politics at this point because science can't do any more. Fauci can try to moralize but science doesn't provide that authority. Fauci can scapegoat, guilt trip, and point an accusing finger but that is politics and not science. Fauci can abuse science by engaging in fear mongering activism but science doesn't provide that authority, either.
The harsh reality is that science has done all that science can do; there's nothing more. It's always been up to you, that hasn't changed.
Fauci has become nothing more than a political activist abusing science. It's not about Fauci any longer. Now its up to you and only you.
Well then what you are saying is stupid. Of course science could do more. I just gave you an example. Science might actually discover a cure for COVID-19 (and variants). That would be more, right? Get it? Also, worldwide scientists are continuing to process data on the virus ... they continue to learn about the virus and variants, how they spread, etc. So it is stupidly wrong for you to claim that science cannot add any more value to fighting this pandemic.
Looks to me that you are simply engaging in yet another gratuitous, bullshit-based Fauci-bashing.
While I agree with Fauci's use of fear to try to get the unvaccinated to accept and get the shots, I do get tired of his selective uses. He was upset and pushing the fear of a superspreader event at the Sturgis Rally but ignored any warnings about the Lalapalooza event in Chicago or the Obama birthday party. He is a scientist but seems to have gotten too political in all of this.
Why the fuck did you include President Obama's birthday party?
That's just nuts.
Mask-less and a couple hundred attendees. Not nuts.
Did you not understand the context of President Obama's birthday party to my entire post in #3 ?
It's nuts and there's no comparison.
A couple of hundred at a birthday party vs 700,000 attendees at the Sturgis Rally, so they are not comparable events.
Disagree. A spreader is a spreader. Don't care about the magnitude.
Exactly Perrie - they're not comparable in any way, shape, or form. And it wasn't a couple of hundred at Obama's party.
The magnitude matters. It is exponential, not one-to-one, especially when dealing with a variant that is very communicable.
Sturgis averages 500,000 attendees.
Obama party under 100.
Sturgis has no mask or vaccine requirements.
Obama has requested all attendees be recently tested or vaccinated.
Which do YOU think should be emphasized???
How do you know how many people were at the Obama party? I've not seen any numbers put out anywhere.
I wasn't at the rally, were you? I don't know what sort of advice/rules were being given up there. All I know is the state there does not have a mask mandate. As for vaccinated or recently tested, do you know what percentage was or wasn't in compliance at Sturgis? No, you don't have that information handy. Your post seems to be all partisan posturing.
As for what should be emphasized, I would have thought that all of it should be emphasized by Dr Fauci if he was truly interested in preventing potential super spreader events and not just partaking in politics like it seems he is.
Except Dr. Fauci is not partaking in politics - like you and others say he is. It is you all who are doing that.
Yeah, and some are claiming that there were a couple of hundred attendees at President Obama's birthday party.
Lies or nuts?
FYI. Prior to the scaling back of the guest list, there were 475 people on it. How many do you think were cut?
It's still not 700,000 people.
you know you have a bad point when you have to make up facts.
Are all of the 700,000 people attending the Sturgis rally unvaccinated? What is mass vaccination supposed to accomplish?
Immediate family only is wanted has been written.
If you would change the channel from FoxNews, you might have learned something then.
So you feel he should call out every gathering in America during a 30 second spot on television? Wow....!
I would think both.
If Fauci really believes it's OK to have a 100 person maskless party if vaccination and testing protocols are in place, it would seem the Obama party would be a great example of how to hold such a gathering correctly.
Conversely, if Sturgis is a superspreader event, what can be done to minimize that risk? For example, what happens to the contagion risk if they move everything outdoors?
Jay z, tom hanks are immediate family? Wow.
Badu, Beckham and H.E.R. were among the stars who attended the affair. A host of other A-list stars were spotted on the island over the weekend, i ncluding John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade , according to USA Today .
Yeah family................................
This has already been covered by others. But I gotta say, immediate family for them is who? Two daughters, hell even toss in parents from both sides (I honestly don't know if their parents are still alive, never looked). That's an awfully big tent for 8 people...
I don't watch FoxNews any more than I watch CNN or MSNBC or any of the national news. I might catch the evening ABC news, but mostly just watch local news for the weather forcasts. Main Stream media is so biased that I just don't bother any more. But hey, you trying to insult me is kind of funny...
Never said he should. What I did say is that I'm tired of his appearing to be political about it. He is rather one-sided in his usage.
An annual event that pulls out around half a million people, last year of which turned out to be a super spreader event, and a person's birthday party.
You think they should both be equally addressed?
It's a personal event, not any kind of official gathering or anything. There are celebrities that have larger gatherings weekly. Not really something the CDC needs to but its head into.
Really???? We've been doing this shit for over a year and a half, if they are not aware of the steps to be taken, they are probably too stupid to even find Sturgis on a map.
I think guidance is good. Specifically I think realistic guidance is good, and I think we've seen too little of that throughout the entire Covid saga.
I think they present somewhat equal opportunities for guidance, simply and solely because they're happening about the same time. They're obviously not really similar events, but they present the opportunity to give intelligent, helpful guidance on how to reduce the risk of transmission while still getting on with people's lives.
I would think the Obamas would love the chance to set a good example publicly. That would certainly be in keeping with everything we've ever seen from them.
As you say, we're over a year into this...so surely we've got more sophisticated solutions based on all this data we should have been collecting. Somebody ought to be able to say something more in-depth and intelligent than "stay home" and "wear a mask".
We all watched mask wearing Californians catch Covid in record numbers during January while the CDC offered zero explanation or guidance about what else we all could do to stay safe. We won't go into "two weeks to flatten the curve" or "no need for non-medical people to wear a mask" or "transmission by droplets on hard surfaces"
So maybe....just maybe....it's time for some more intelligent answers from the CDC.
Like what's the expected impact on virus transmission if all the beer service is moved outdoors? What's the impact of spreading tables out by 10 feet instead of 6? What's the rate of outdoor transmission vs indoor? Can certain events be moved to alternate locations that would potentially reduce risk?
People are not going to suspend their lives indefinitely. The CDC should be actively talking about measures that enable people to reduce the risk of spread while still participating in slightly modified regular activities.
They are, they're now saying, "GET VACCINATED"!!!!
I have no idea what you are looking for. There is no magical solution to this, you only have a few options:
You can pick whichever one you want, but those are pretty much the only options possible.
You could have Googled the answers to all those questions if you were truly curious.
You are being overly dramatic. Nobody's life has been suspended, at worst the life has been inconvenienced, especially compared to some people that caught the virus.
Are you not listening? The measures that reduce the risk of spread are:
The CDC has been saying this for over a year and a half, you should not have to be asking what they are anymore.
Obviously you and FW pride yourselves on your ignorance.
And you leave FW's ignorance up for all to see