U.S. Disease Expert: Return To Normal Weeks To Months Away

U.S. National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Disease Dir Dr. Anthony Fauci today offered an update on the coronavirus and said a return to normalcy is “several weeks to a few months” away. Fauci: “People need to understand that things will get worse before they get better. What we’re trying to do is to make sure they don’t get to the worst-case scenario.” Fauci, on what declining cases in China mean for public health: “China really dramatically did what we call social distancing. They just shut down the country. As they start getting back to normal personal interaction, I hope we don’t see the second blip, but it is possible” (“This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” ABC, 3/15).

In a CNN appearance, Fauci "did not rule out supporting a temporary national lockdown of the country's restaurants and bars." Fauci added that he would "like to see a 'dramatic' reduction in activity in order to fight the disease" (CNN.com, 3/15).