In accordance with Fauci, face masks may turn out to be seasonal after a Covid pandemic

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases, testifies on April 15, 2021 at the House Select subcommittee on the coronavirus crisis on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Susan Walsh | Pool | Reuters

WASHINGTON – The White House Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that people might wear masks during certain times of the year when respiratory illnesses are more common.

“I think people got used to that, if you look at the data that reduces respiratory disease, if you look at the data, just because people were doing the kind of public health thing they had practically no flu season this year were mainly directed against Covid-19, “said Fauci during an interview on NBC’s Sunday program” Meet the Press “.

“So it is conceivable that in a year or two or more, if you suffer from respiratory viruses like the flu during certain seasonal periods, we will actually wear masks to reduce the chances of you spreading them through the airways transmitted diseases, “he added.

Fauci’s comments come less than a month after the Biden government announced a relaxation of federal health guidelines for wearing masks outdoors.

Visitors walk past a sign requiring face masks to stop the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Memorial Day weekend in Bethany Beach, Delaware, May 24, 2020.

Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that fully vaccinated people can exercise outside and attend small gatherings without a face mask. The agency also recommends that fully vaccinated individuals wear a mask in crowded outdoor areas.

“We are just at the point where we can repeal these ordinances and allow people to resume their normal activities. Of course, we shouldn’t put any limits on gatherings in the open air and encourage people to go outside,” said Dr. Scott Gottlieb told the CBS Sunday program “Face the Nation”.

Gottlieb added that indoor public health measures should also be relaxed in states where coronavirus infections are low and vaccination rates are high.

“Covid will not go away, we will have to learn to live with it, but the risks have been reduced significantly thanks to vaccinations and immunity that people have acquired through previous infection,” said Gottlieb.

As of Saturday, more than 45% of the US population had received at least one dose of vaccine, including 33.9% who were fully vaccinated, according to CDC data.

Disclosure: Scott Gottlieb is a CNBC employee and a member of the boards of directors of Pfizer, the genetic testing startup Tempus, and the biotech company Illumina. Pfizer has signed a manufacturing agreement with Gilead for Remdesivir. Gottlieb is also co-chair of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and Royal Caribbean’s Healthy Sail Panel.