Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Cases Fall In Some States, Fauci Says Omicron Will Peak By Mid-February
ABC News: Fauci Optimistic Omicron Will Peak In February
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease specialist, said Sunday he is "as confident as you can be" about the prospect of most states reaching a peak of omicron cases by mid-February. "You never want to be overconfident when you're dealing with this virus," Fauci told ABC "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz, adding that the COVID-19 virus has "surprised us in the past." (Gomez, 1/23)
The Washington Post: U.S. Cases ‘Going In The Right Direction,’ Fauci Says
The rate of new coronavirus cases in the United States is “going in the right direction,” Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, said on Sunday. Pointing to other countries that have experienced sharp drops in cases after a surge of infections from the omicron variant, Fauci, speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” said that “things are looking good.” Still, he cautioned that the virus “has certainly surprised us in the past," and that cases are still rising in the South and West, where omicron outbreaks started later than in the Northeast. (Pietsch and Timsit, 1/24)
USA Today: Omicron Cases Falling Sharply In Some States, Fauci Says
The nation's top infectious disease expert is "as confident as you can be" that most states will have reached a peak of omicron COVID-19 cases by mid-February. Dr. Anthony Fauci, speaking Sunday on ABC's "This Week," said several states in the Northeast and Upper Midwest have seen cases peak and begin to decline sharply but that cases are still rising in the South and West. "You never want to be overconfident when you're dealing with this virus," Fauci said, adding that the coronavirus "surprised us in the past." (Bacon and Ortiz, 1/23)
Fox News: Fauci Outlines Pandemic Long-Term Return To Normal: 'Best-Case Scenario' We Learn To Live With It
Dr. Anthony Fauci outlined a path toward a long-term plan to live with COVID-19, claiming it's the "best-case scenario." The president’s chief medical advisor predicted this week the current surge of cases caused by the omicron variant will peak by mid-February, leaving officials wondering what happens next. Fauci said on ABC’s "This Week" that the best-case scenario will be to bring the virus under control and learn to live with it. (Aitken, 1/23)
