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 Fauci and other disease experts have said they expect that COVID-19
will transition this spring from a pandemic phase in the United
States to an endemic disease, meaning that the virus will continue
to circulate at a lower level, causing smaller, less disruptive but
still significant outbreaks in the coming years.
But some are expressing new concern over a rise in U.S. infections
in recent weeks, a trend that is likely to accelerate as more
Americans travel and gather for U.S. Thanksgiving this week and
other upcoming holidays.
"We'd like to get as many people who were originally vaccinated with
the first regimen boosted," Fauci said in an interview for the
upcoming Reuters Next conference.
Asked to quantify, he said, the "overwhelming majority" of Americans
who have been fully vaccinated should now receive a COVID-19 booster
shot based on data showing they provide "substantial" protection
beyond what is seen from the original inoculation.
To date, about 33 million Americans have received a booster dose.
The government recently expanded eligibility for an additional shot
to all U.S. adults.
Studies from Israel and other countries have shown that vaccine
protection wanes over time. While data first suggested that was
mostly a problem in the elderly, there is newer evidence that it
occurs among all age groups, Fauci said.
"That's the reason why we're very keen on getting as many people who
are originally vaccinated to get a booster ... because they really
do work," he said.
As experience with COVID-19 vaccines grows, it is conceivable that
the definition of a "full and complete regimen" in the United States
would comprise three doses of the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech
and Moderna and two doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, he said,
similar to what some other countries have done.
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"Right now, officially, fully vaccinated equals two shots of the
mRNA and one shot of the J&J, but without a doubt that could
change," he said. "That's on the table for discussion."
As for the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5 to 11,
which started with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine earlier this month,
Fauci said there is no sign of any new safety issues. "There is no
signal at all," Fauci said.
At least 10% of the 28 million eligible children have gotten a first
dose, Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus coordinator, said on
Monday.
Fauci said people need to realize that no vaccine is completely
without side effects. But when you consider the risks of COVID-19
compared to the very rare risk of an adverse event in a child,
"overwhelmingly ... the benefit far, far outweighs the risk."
Asked whether he might consider retiring any time soon, the
80-year-old immunologist who heads the U.S. National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said, "I'm not even remotely
contemplating that right now."
Fauci said he still wants to see the end of COVID-19 as a pandemic,
and he also wants to see progress on ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic,
to which he has devoted much of his career.
"There's a lot of unfinished business right now, so I'm not even
thinking about walking away."
(Reporting by Michele Gershberg; Writing by Julie Steenhuysen;
Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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