Fauci Blames US Coronavirus Surge On State Reopenings: 'We Did Not Shut Down'

The fact the United States federal government never instituted a nationwide lockdown to restrain the spread of COVID-19 is the main reason for the disease's alarming post-Memorial Day resurgence. This surge has seen more than one million cases added in a month's time.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), asserts the government's failure to shut down the country is the fundamental reason for the resurgence of COVID-19 after it seemed to taper off in April. As of Monday, the U.S. accounted for 3.36 million, or 26%, of the world's 13.0 million total COVID-19 cases. It also has to bear more than 135,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

“We did not shut down entirely,” said Dr. Fauci in an interview with Stanford Medicine Dean Dr. Lloyd Minor on Monday.

“We need to draw back a few yards and say, ‘OK, we can’t stay shut down forever’ ... You’ve got to shut down but then you’ve got to gradually open.”

He also said the raging pandemic in the U.S. hasn’t “even begun to see the end,” even as scientists work feverishly to develop vaccines and drugs to counter COVID-19. Dr. Fauci said he’s “cautiously optimistic” scientists will be able to develop at least one safe and effective vaccine by the end of this year or by early 2021.

Dr. Fauci, who says the U.S. is still inside the disease’s first wave, made these sobering remarks after 33 states reported a sustained jump in new COVID-19 cases last week, a clear indication the pandemic has been getting worse since mid-June.

Because of the disease's resurgence, the U.S. is right back where it was in March and April when the first wave was supposed to have been at its worst. Data shows a high of 50,000 daily new cases over the past week compared to a high of 20,000 back in April.

Back in March 27, Dr. Fauci already warned of the painful consequences to be inflicted on the U.S. by the unimpeded spread of COVID-19. He said the U.S. will be saddled with millions of COVID-19 cases and as many as 200,000 people could die from the disease. The number of deaths will be enormous.

“I would say between 100,000 and 200,000 cases ... excuse me, deaths,” said Dr. Fauci at the time.

The U.S. now has 138,000 deaths. It only had 1,300 deaths at the time Dr. Fauci made his prediction on March 27.

Also on Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned the pandemic is raging almost out of control in North and South America and is "going to get worse and worse and worse" in these regions.

WHO said 143,000 of the world's 230,000 new cases (or 62%) were recorded in North and South America, as of Saturday. Of this total, 57,400 new cases, or 40%, were accounted for by the United States. WHO said the U.S. and Brazil had 111,319 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, or half of all new cases worldwide.