Anthony Fauci, CDC Director Redfield to testify before Senate as coronavirus cases surge

US top infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci will testify before a Senate Committee on June 30 on the latest efforts by the government to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Dr Fauci will be accompanied by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield and other top health officials as businesses reopen amid a worrying rise in coronavirus cases.

The health officials will apprise the US Senate Committee on health, education, labour & pensions on the progress toward safely getting back to work and school. The United States has reported nearly 2.7 million confirmed cases of coronavirus, more than one-fourth of the total cases reported worldwide, and over 129,000 deaths related to it so far, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

Read: Anthony Fauci Warns US May Not Reach Herd Immunity If Only Two-thirds Take Vaccine

Contradictory statements

Dr Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, has frequently contradicted President Donald Trump over statements related to virus response. Earlier this month, Dr Fauci said that he was no longer in frequent contact with President Donald Trump following his statement on the easing of restrictions. Fauci said that not only the task force meetings didn’t occur frequently but his meetings with Trump have also been “dramatically decreased”. 

On June 23, Fauci told a House Committee that the CDC will be doing more tests, contrary to Trump’s suggestion. Trump tweeted that the US should slow down the testing because fewer testing would show fewer cases. However, Fauci told the House that they have not been asked to slow down the testing, instead, they will be testing even more in the coming days. 

Fauci has warned that the United States may not attain herd immunity if too many people refuse to take COVID-19 vaccine at the expected rate of efficacy. In an interview to CNN, Dr Fauci said it is unlikely that vaccine with 70-75 per cent efficacy will be enough to reach herd immunity if only two-thirds of the population would take it.

Read: Dr Fauci Gives Simple Reason Why US Did Not Advise People To Wear Covid Masks At The Start

(Image: AP)