Springfield News-Leader
In a Thursday interview with the Springfield News-Leader, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and president's chief medical advisor cited the state's lagging vaccination rate as a key indicator for the Delta virus variant's surge.
"It's like the sun coming up in the morning and setting at night," Fauci said. "If you have a low level of vaccination, which certain sections of the state of Missouri have, you are going to see an increase in infections, which ultimately might lead to an increase in hospitalizations."
Dealing with COVID vaccine hesitancy
The fight against vaccine hesitancy and fear, Fauci said, is a complicated one — with people in Missouri and throughout the U.S. pointing toward several factors dissuading them. He urged their families and peers to exercise patience, empathy and accuracy while encouraging those resisting vaccination to get their shot.