Fauci testifies about vaccine's possible availability, HCQ & Trump's COVID response

The top infectious disease expert of the United States, Dr. Anthony S Fauci along with other top health officials appeared before a House panel on Friday investigating the nation's response to the pandemic. Even as the United States is reporting nearly 65,000 new COVID-19 infections a day with more than 4 million Americans infected and the death toll is nearing 150,000, Fauci seemed to be optimistic while testifying in front of the Congress about the prospects of a COVID-19 vaccine, faster testing and getting the virus under control. 

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Important takeaways from Fauci's testimony

1. Vaccine to be ready by the end of 2020

Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he was “cautiously optimistic” that a vaccine would be ready by the end of this year and would be widely distributed throughout 2021.

“There's never a guarantee that you're going to get a safe and effective vaccine, but from everything we've seen now in the animal data, as well as the early human data, we feel cautiously optimistic that we will have a vaccine by the end of this year and as we go into 2021,” Fauci said as Moderna's vaccine enters the phase three trial which will examine the vaccine's safety and effectiveness on humans. He also apprised about six other vaccines including five or six that the federal government is involved with while adding that over 2,50,000 people are ready to participate in the vaccine trials.

2. Delayed testing for hoped situation improves

Fauci observed that testings are delayed due to heavy pressure on commercial laboratories due to increased demand as the outbreak spreads. He noted that delayed testings increase the chances of community spread while stating that about 75 percent of test results are coming back within five days, 

“If you have to wait multiple days for the result of a test, and the test is done in the context of contact tracing, that in many respects obviates the whole purpose of doing it. Because if you have to wait that long, a person has already been out in the community in that period of time,” he opined.

 Adm. Brett Giroir, the health official leading the Trump administration’s testing strategy, said a faster turnaround time for all test results is not currently possible, however, he added that in future, people will not require to be dependent on labs for testings as point-of-care tests ahead will not need samples to be sent to labs and that they would give results in about 15 minutes.

3. Fauci dismisses HCQ for COVID-19 treatment 

Fauci termed the study that showed Hydrochloroquine as effective in curing COVID, as "flawed". The study was noncontrolled and retrospective and patients were administered corticosteroids which have the capacity to reduce deaths in COVID-19 patients hence it is not appropriate to say HCQ is effective, Fauci said.

“That study is a flawed study,” Fauci said.

4. Fauci backs Trump's decision to ban Chinese travellers

Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the top Republican on the committee, asked whether Fauci agreed to some of the decisions made by US President Donald Trump, including the ban Chinese travellers.

“Do you agree with that decision? Do you think that decision saved lives?” Scalise asked.

“Yes I do,” Fauci replied.   

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