Fauci Claims Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines Effective Against Indian Variants; Admits He Still Wears Mask

A new study from New York University indicated that COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna work against the variant that originated in India known as B.1.617 and drove its devastating recent surge. Despite a worrying mutation, all mRNA vaccines will neutralize the variant's spike protein, the infectious surface component of the virus that allows it to enter human cells.

With the findings, Fauci reiterates the importance of getting vaccinated

Dr. Anthony Fauci outlined the results at a White House press conference on Tuesday, calling the findings "another really good argument why we should be getting vaccinated." Even though the B.1.617 version is more contagious and could be outcompeting other versions elsewhere globally, the United States may be able to overcome it via continued vaccination, Daily Mail reported.

In early April, the United States reported the first case of B.1.617, the variant in India. This variant was discovered in northern California by Stanford researchers. Cases have been found in Iowa, Nevada, and other states since then. Several of these incidents have been related to foreign travel, prompting the Biden administration to impose a travel ban on India.

However, some of these variant cases were seen in Americans that had not traveled recently, suggesting that the B.1.617 variant is still circulating among US populations. As of April 24, the B.1.617 variant was found in 0.7 percent of cases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of May 8, modeling figures placed the variant's prevalence at 1.1 percent.

Since variant data is still slow, the actual number of B.1.617 cases in the country may be higher, particularly in the states where these cases have been recorded so far. On May 10, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated this version as a "variant of concern." According to the WHO, this version has a higher rate of transmission, which means it can travel from person to person more rapidly and efficiently.

In the United Kingdom, a race is on to contain the variant, which has already devastated India with many cases. According to UK health officials, the strain could kill up to 1,000 people every day, and it could be 50 percent more transmissible than the 2020 strain.

Containment activities can also conflict with the government's efforts to remove coronavirus restrictions. "We are expected to make some difficult decisions if the virus becomes significantly more transmissible," Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters last week, as per NY Post.

Moderna recently released the findings of a clinical trial that found that giving the vaccine a third shot increased its efficacy against variants first discovered in Brazil and South Africa. The firm said in its statement that it was prepared to tweak the vaccine when new mutations appeared.

Fauci admits he still wears a mask outside

Dr. Anthony Fauci said that the recently revised CDC guidelines for completely vaccinated people had made him feel more relaxed being seen without a mask when inside and that he "didn't want to appear like I was sending mixed signals" before. His remarks come as the CDC is under fire for the timing of its mask update, with some wondering whether it was done for political reasons.

The improvement was based on science, according to Fauci and the agency's director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky. "I am much much more relaxed with people seeing me indoors without a mask," Fauci said Tuesday on Good Morning America, explaining why he continued to wear a mask indoors until the CDC's recommendation shift. "I didn't want to appear like I was sending mixed messages," he said. "However, as a fully vaccinated individual, the risks of me being sick in an indoor environment are exceedingly slim, which is why I now feel better not wearing a mask in indoor settings because I'm fully vaccinated," as per Fox News.

On Monday, President Joe Biden's administration tried to clarify the mask mandate, stating that wearing a mask when fully vaccinated under current rules is a personal option. Governors have also voiced disappointment at the agency's sudden shift of guidance, with Christopher Sununu of New Hampshire saying he heard of it from the press.