Fauci compares coronavirus outbreak to the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and pre-pandemic bird flu and says ‘there’s still a lot that’s unknown’ about the disease where the elderly and those with underlying conditions appear to be most at risk
Dr Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health compared the coronavirus outbreak to the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s
He said both crises are similar in terms of fear and anxiety among the public
Fauci stressed on Sunday that the elderly and those with underlying conditions are more at risk than healthy people
This is contrast with messages from officials in the Trump administration who have tried to downplay the severity of the outbreak
In the US, nearly 630 people are infected in 34 states and 22 people have died
By MARY KEKATOS SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER
DAILYMAIL.COM
9 March 2020
A top official at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has compared the coronavirus outbreak to the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Dr Anthony Fauci has been director of the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease since 1984 and was a central figure during the global crisis.
He said that while the virus at the center of each are different, the fear and anxiety among the general public are similar.
‘It’s not that different than the very early years of the HIV epidemic, of the anthrax attacks, of the concern about the pre-pandemic bird flu,’ Dr Fauci told CNN’s New Day.
‘Everything has a little bit of a different twist to it. It’s not exactly the same, but there’s always that uncertainty that gets people very anxious.’
However, Dr Fauci also stressed that researchers are collecting new data every day because so much about the virus is unknown.
‘We’re gathering information, we’re learning a lot, but there’s still a lot that’s unknown about where this is going,’ he told host Alisyn Camerota.
‘You always almost have a fog of war about it.’
Other recent comments from Dr Fauci signaled a change in tone from the administration regarding who is most at risk.
He stated that those with underlying health conditions are much more likely to suffer complications if they contract the disease.
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