Marshal all your resources, including Army to fight surge: Dr Anthony Fauci

America’s top public health expert underlines need for a countrywide lockdown in India for a few weeks to arrest spread of the virus, also recommends mass vaccination

Terming the situation in India “very desperate”, America’s top public health expert Dr Anthony Fauci has suggested the government marshal all its resources, including the armed forces, to immediately build makeshift field hospitals, and urged other countries to help with not only materials but also personnel.

Dr Fauci’s suggestions and dire assessment of India came as the number of Covid-19 infections in India officially passed 2 crore, almost double the number three months ago. Of these more than 2,20,000 people have died, according to official figures. The 80-year-old physician and immunologist, who serves as the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on Monday also recommend mass vaccination to arrest the current spread of the deadly disease across India.

“Right now, they should start getting as many people vaccinated as they possibly can, with both the vaccines that they developed themselves in India as well as supplies of vaccines that they may be able to procure from other suppliers, be that the United States, be that Russia, whatever country is willing whenever companies are willing to supply vaccine,” Fauci said. However, getting someone “vaccinated now” does not solve today’s problem, he noted, adding that it helps prevent a problem several weeks from now.

He recommended taking the help of the country’s armed forces to immediately build makeshift field hospitals. “It would be possible, perhaps, with the help of your own military, to put up field hospitals as you would do as if in a wartime setting, so that people who are sick and require a hospital bed, will have a hospital bed,” he said.

He also underlined the need for a countrywide lockdown for a few weeks to arrest the spread of the virus. He explained that when a lockdown is imposed, it definitely interferes with the dynamics of the viral outbreak and you could interfere with the continuity and the transmission of infection, the top immunologist noted, citing the experience gained by other countries.

Restrictions easing in US and Europe

Air travel in the US hit its highest mark since Covid-19 took hold more than 13 months ago, while European Union officials are proposing to ease restrictions on visitors to the continent as the vaccine sends new cases and deaths tumbling in more affluent countries. The improving picture in many places contrasts with the worsening disaster in India.

‘Withdraw threat of jail term’

The Australian Medical Association on Tuesday requested Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Health Minister Greg Hunt to immediately withdraw the threat of a jail term and fine to Australians trying to return home from India, saying it has caused a lot of distress in the community.

Pfizer vaccine for young adults soon

The US Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorise Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for young adults age 12 and older by next week, according to a federal official and a person familiar with the process, setting up shots for many before the beginning of the next school year. The announcement is set to come barely a month after the company found that its shot, which is already authorised for those age 16 and older, also provided protection for the younger group.

5,56,950
No. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours

15,30,94,318
Total no. of cases worldwide

32,06,339
Total no. of deaths worldwide

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