Good to be with you. Curve . Was this a flat it went in the wrong direction. I joked around after and said i be a shortstop when i and i ball as a young boy thought i was supposed to throw to first base. [laughter] bob we wont hold it against you, doctor. Heres my first pitch. Both glad baseball is back, but is it too soon . I dont think so, bob. If its done carefully. At the protocols that Major League Baseball has protect both to the players and other personnel associated with the organization, getting them ested frequently, doing protocols that are really quite safe, as well as having no stands, because when we were discussing how to baseball again, i was one of, im sure, many people and they consulted with, one of the things that we said important, paramount, safety for the players, the personnel, anyone who might be a spectator. And what they have done as we no last night, there were spectators in the stands, and the players had followed strict protocols. Think it can be done. Its a little bit different there are no spectators in the stands but i think the nited states, which is really craving for some sort of relief from the kinds of restrictions under, would love to see baseball in any form. Even if just on television. Ob dr. Fauci, are you encouraging College Football and professional football to return this fall . Bob, its a more complicated issue there. Had an opportunity o just give some fundamental tenets of Public Health to the People Associated with those organizations who have asked me advice. Its very difficult to say youve got to do some real protocols if you want to get football, which is mean, inherently contact port, be it at the college or professional level, but i think you would have to take a look at how they are trying to do it protocols are. I certainly cannot be the judge of that. About nly talk to people what are some of the risks are and what some of the safety procedures must be. Be you dont seem to encouraging the idea, though . I dont want to come across discouragindiscouraging. Just want to talk about what some of the challenges might be. If you do the proper protocol do it but it ly needs to be well thought out and in your re paramount consideration. Bob when you step back and look the map whats your biggest concern about where the u. S. Is today . One of the things thats always concerned me and we talk bout it a lot in the discussions at the coronavirus look at the f you plotting of the curve for way up. They went there are multiple Different Countries in europe but if you as a group, they went way up and came back down you know,baseline of, maybe tens if not hundreds of day, as opposed to thousands and tens of thousands of new cases. Is that when us we shut down, in contrast to the european union, we shut down reality, or so in where as the europeans shut down percent, so when we went up to our peak as a ountry, and then we came down, we plateaued at around 20,000 ases a day, and then when we started to see the resurgence in the Southern States, we went up 30, 40, 50, 60, even reached day. 00 per thats not a good place to be. So my concern is that we have a in front of us, and i hope we can meet the challenge bringing that baseline way own almost to a real baseline, so that when we proceed to try and open up the country again, we all should try hard to do, were starting off baseline thats low enough that when we get these lips of cases, well be able the more easily contain them these surges of cases which tend to get out of the way weve seen recently, in places like lorida and texas and california. Bob so doctor, if you were entirely in charge of the plan us out of this mess you now, described, starting what would it be . I mean, it would be a few things, bob. Be, first, in the states that have been trying to pen, particularly the Southern States which have gotten into trouble, i would say the first dont necessarily have to go all the way back to a but you shutdown, certainly have to call a pause nd maybe even a backing up a bit. And by backing up, for those not amiliar with the guidelines, guidelines for reopening are you first starting off with a gateway. In other words, you look at are, and if you have decreases in cases over appeared days, you then go to the next step, which is phase one. One, you well in phase go to phase two, et cetera, to three. The issue is, that some of the states, not all, and im not ones, but ame which some have essentially skipped over some of those checkpoints. What my advice would be, time a priormaybe go back to checkpoint and from that point very proceed in a measured, prudent way according to the guidelines. That, i think we can control the surging that were states. N those for the other states, i would the please take a look at example of what happens when you open it in a way that might be quickly, so as youre opening and everybody should be to reopen america again, but do it in a way thats in ccordance with the guidelines, and then finally, bob, i would say there are certain, what i fundamentals, that we should be doing almost is, ersally, and that universal wearing of masks when outdoors. Better than utdoor indoor, avoid crowds. Distancing, and continue with hand hygiene such as washing your hands. We did just that, there have analysis and studies that the shown you can reduce transmitability by a significant amount. There are some easy things that can be done to get us to be. Goal where we want to bob doctor, lets pause on that final point. Universal face coverings, should the government put some muscle that idea and have a National Mandate to wear a mask . A lot ofhere is always debate about that. The debate is not whether we masks,or should not wear its about the concept of a mandate that if you put a you have to enforce it. And if you enforce it, what that going to is lead to . So many people feel rather than mandate, really be very explicit about the consistency your message, that everyone from the top down says you masks and we ing strongly, strongly urge you to times when t all youre outside. Bob weve got a lot of readers, dr. Fauci, who are very interested in hearing from you on different fronts. Of them, from kansas, do you projections about the combination of covid19 and the during the fall and winter . Certainly, if we get anything resembles a typical will be season, there complications and confounding because then you would have, we have covid in the fall and winter, which is likely we will, i hope we have a little bit and not a lot, but almost of it,ly well have some that if you have too circulating respiratory diseases it makes things more complicated. For that reason one of the do is to make sure that we get as many people influenza as we possibly can, because that would ultimately help to mitigate of those least one two potential recirculating respiratory diseases. Going to complicate the situation, and the question that is a very ad important question. Of vaccinations we live in a time where things gain traction on social media. Will you get people to sake the vaccine whether its for the texaco individual vaccine . Thats a very good question and its been very good with the antiscience, antiauthority, antivaccine movement, if you that, in the it united states. I think we need to keep messagesing with clear and get Good Community outreach explain to people why its so important to get vaccinated. Vaccinated against flu, influenza vaccine but when we get the covid vaccine, which i believe well by the end ofther this year or the beginning of that we need to do enough good, clear Community Outreach engagement, to get people to understand why its important for their own but also to get a immunity in the community. Bob lets go back to the issue of schools. Mind, who verybody has families or who have people in their family who are thinking back to school. One of our readers, kathleen if of new york wonders, schools open in the fall would you send your kids into the building . Children are no longer school age but how would you answer that question . Not a , you know, its simple answer to the question because first of all, let me say, bob, as a broad position, we should try as best as we possibly can to and the children in school to get them back to school when the School Season starts, for that i think were familiar with. Hat the downstream unintended Ripple Effect consequences of keeping children out of school the impact on parents who to take care of them and the psychological issues, we should try that. That, when you ask that question it depends on where you are. In a very large country hat is geographically and demographically diverse, and certainly different in the xtent to which there is covid virus activity. So if you live in a county or a place where there is very little activity, then maybe nothing much you need to do but just send the children back to school. If youre in an area where there s viral activity, you want to look at what the schools can do, cdc heir planning, and the has come out with some really kind it guidelines of the of things you need to do to protect the health and the safety of the children. Of course, that absolutely needs to be paramount. Welfare of nd the the children and of the teachers who are taking care and teaching children. So some schools will be doing hings, separating desks, alternating schedules, hybrid schedules, online versus alternating days, orningafternoon, Wearing Masks, and children who are old enough to be able to tolerate there are a k, so lot of things to do. I would go with the recommendations of the school in which im in. So i live in washington, d. C. School when ent to they were children. They are adults now, in washington, d. C. Take a look at whats being recommended at the level living. Im bob do you fully support the cdcs guidance . I do. I think the cdc has put some good guidance down. A quick look at them before i started the program which was sent to me by my cdc. Eagues at the i think its a sound set of guidelines. Facts, dr. Re the fauci, about children under 10 spreaders . Secretary of education devos recently said more studies show actually stoppers of the disease. Is that true . Know, im not going to agree or disagree. The facts . Re ill give you the facts. The reason is otherwise, it gets context. T of there was a study that was done, need to nk we still learn a lot about Elementary School children getting the percentage of their infection is, and whether or not her spread efficiently to adults. Recent study came out that showed children up to 10 years dont looks like they necessarily spread infection as do. Ily as adults where as children 10 to 19 infectionbe spreading to adults as equally as well as spread to adults. Yet, there is still a lot to about what the prevalence infection is, and as a group, do they spread do they get antibodies . Infamily spread or not . In order to answer that uestion, bob, we started a study on may 1. Well get some answers by a study of this year, called hero study. Infection, topidemiology ask just those questions. How frequently do they get infected . And if they do, do they transmit t to adults, and would they be part of the spread of infection . Because even though we have some that, we stillout need more information bob but fauci, if we still more information, how can parents their mfortable sending children back to school . Children back to school, parents are fundamentally concerned about to get they are going infected in school, and they certainly can get infected. Or it ot very efficient may be very efficient. So the parents concern, i little bit different to do from the question you just asked me about hen you send them to School Depending upon the level of infection in the community and what the recommendations are. Your questions are related but they are a little bit different, i think. Bob thats right. There is a lot of confusion out there. Heres another one from one of virus and about the spread. Brad from massachusetts asks covid19 antibodies little as three weeks . Again, thats a reasonable question that brad asked but arena. Thats in the what we need is to get more information. The only six months into outbreak, so the total which ity of antibodies, indicates youve been infected, and almost certainly youve infection. Rom you look at someone who is no longer infected, but they have antibodies, which is an indication that youve been infected, and that you likely, are protected y, at least while you have antibodies against getting reinfected. When they looked at a group of eople who were infected either symptomatically or without there s, a study showed was a great deal of variability last. Long the antibodies in some individuals, some, it lasted a matter of several weeks. Others, it lasted months. Since were only six months into dont know how long it lasts in most of the people. But, the fact is, as the uestion was asked, there are some people whose antibodies only last a relatively short period of time. To know is what that means. When the antibodies are no detectable, are there other aspects of the immune response like tcell or cellular immunity that could still protect them from reinfection . The , were learning as weeks and months go by, but we dont have all the information that we need. Think you have to admit that, and be humble enough to realize when you have a process thats evolving and youre only six months into it, there are things you know for sure, but there are certain things you need to keep an open weeks and months go by, that you will hopefully learn more about. Bob dr. Fauci, when, then is absolute earliest a vaccine might be widely available for public . Ral. I think the key word there, bob is widely available. I think well likely know whether a vaccine is safe and given the number of phase three trials that are week, g literally next and there are some in other countries that are already we should know by the end of december of this year next year. Nning of there are some companies that claim it might be a month or two sooner. A little skeptical about that, but anything is possible. But i think its going to be of the year. Nd but the crux of your question is, when widely available . It is likely that in the beginning of next year, we would have tens of millions of doses available. Are involved who in making these vaccines, many of which the federal government in deep collaboration with, get into at as we 2021, there will be hundreds of and maybe doses, sometime thereafter billions of doses. So in direct answer to your i think as we get into in, that ral months you would have a vaccine that available to y people in the united states. What about a vaccine treatments . Are there any new treatments that are safe and effective that in the pipeline soon . Yeah, we have a couple of treatments that have clearly effective. To they have been mostly for people, bob, with advanced disease. One of them is remdesivir, which antiviral drug thats been shown to lessen the in hospitalized patients who have lung involvement. Another drug called a steroid, thats been shown in people on oxygen,ors or requiring that that drug when given to those people diminishes the rate. It doesnt help people early in the disease because you dont suppress the immune response early because you need the immune response early. Number of drugs in Clinical Trial right now that re looking at what the effect would be earlier in disease. Are mono clonal ntibodies, natural proteins produced in large amounts that are very specific against the virus. Convalescent plasma, mainly from people who have recovered. Globulin similar to the gamma gob ulynn shots we and some small molecule antivirals. In addition to other things going into trial for some of the complications of covid, so there is a lot of activity in the and its likely well get more good results see the results of a vaccine, which, as i mentioned, should take several months more, nd up to the end of the year bob dr. Fauci, have the president s briefings this week unhelpful . Ul or i think whats good about this, bob that im pleased with, the president has gone out there and is saying things ow that i think are important p. That have to do with Wearing Masks, crowded, staying away crowded places, so i think they have been helpful now. And also, they have been short crisp, which i think is good when youre trying to get a message across. Last i think its three times that the president has been out. Think its important that that continues. Hort, crisp, have a defined message that people can understand, such as wearing away from staying crowds. Bob do you believe a task force be its doctors should briefing the American Public at this critical time . Should, now, i think we bob, and we are. I mean, im doing it right now with you. Mean, i welcome this half an hour that we have of talking bout important issues, and members of the task force are getting out there. Would like to get out even more because i think messaging is very important. Sought to join the president at his briefings . Thats m not so sure necessary because what happens, when do you that, people ask and it has little to do with health and it gets mixed up. Whenever youre at a briefing president , people start throwing questions in there that have nothing to do with the i tend to likeso to see press briefings that are point. Nd to the bob and youre still advising the president from time to time. Is there anything you can tell phone call last week with President Trump . You know, generally we dont ike to talk about the details of the things you tell the president. But i can say that it was a good and it had a lot to do with encouraging to do the kinds of seeing being re done right now. So it was a good call. I dont want to get too much details, i dont like that when youre talking to the president. It was a positive call. Bob when you look back at your trump nsel to president do you feel, dr. Fauci, that you ade any mistakes in your own advice to him in terms of responding to the pandemic . You know, bob, its very interesting. When you use the word mistake, you made a at recommendation, based on the had at the that you time, which is what you should be doing. Look ok at the data, you at the evidence, and you make ither a recommendation or a policy. When the information changes, what youre e saying, its because youre wanting to follow the evidence thats the , and right thing to do. So do you then call that a mistake . Back then . Or back then, it wasnt a mistake, because you were acting data that you know. In you reevaluate it now, the context of the data you know saying k at what youre now, dont look at what youre saying now compared to back then. Want to call you it a mistake back then, then but i dont take look at it that way. I look at recommendations based as you know it, and as he data changes, then you change your recommendations. Ob is there anything in that answer youre referencing in particular . Well, for example, the issue you mentioned early on about masks, back then the ritical issue was to save the masks for the people who really it was felt because there was this shortage of masks. Realize at all the extent of asymptomatic that a person who could be without symptoms at all ould be inadvertently and innocently spreading to it uninfected, you dont even know youre infected because 20 to 40 of the people dont even know they are infected. But what happened is that, as came by, and months two things became clear. Ne, that there wasnt a shortage of masks. We had plenty of masks, and that you could put on, plain cloth covering, so that took care of that problem. Secondly, we fully realized that there are a lot of people who re asymptomatic who are spreading infection. O it became clear that we absolutely should be Wearing Masks consistently. Of the things i guess you could have said back then was a mistake. Thing is things that get taken out of context. When there was maybe one infection, when i said, you know what . At this particular moment, we be telling the American People to do anything differently. A people who say thats mistake leave out the second was, of my sentence, which however, this could change dramatically and quickly and we to be ready to respond if, in fact, things change. I guess the first half of the sentence, if you cut off the econd half, was maybe misleading but the second half really clarified that. So i can go through a number of those are the kind of things im talking about. Fauci, its 11 59. Out at noon. D one final question from a person from maryland. Retire so you can be more candid . No, i have no intention of retiring. Think im , people too candid so i dont know where that question is coming from, you know, in some respects thank you if you think because a lot of people think im being candid. Bob dr. Fauci, thank you for joining us. Good to be with you, bob. For having me with you. Bob. Thank you. Thank you for joining us. Everyone is on the edge of their fauci. Istening to dr. I know i was. Next week well continue pose live having more of these in conversations. Well have two Vice President ial hopefuls, mary trump about her new book and former new jersey will allchris christie be at Washington Post live. Thats it for now. Program has concluded, thanks again for joining us, and have great weekend. Follow the federal response to the coronavirus outbreak at cspan. Org coronavirus. Watch congress, white house briefings, and updates from governors. Track the spread throughout the. S. And the world with interactive maps. Watch ondemand at any time unfiltered at cspan. Org coronavirus. Earlier today House Speaker other elosi and democratic members held a news passage e to argue for of more economic aid due to the coronavirus