US New COVID Cases Remain Above 800,000 for Four Days... Fauci Says "No Complete End"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] "There will be no complete end."

As the number of new COVID-19 cases in the United States has remained around 800,000 for four consecutive days, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and chief medical advisor to the president, stated that "even if Omicron is the last variant, it does not mean the end of COVID-19."

According to economic media CNBC and others, Fauci made these remarks on the 17th (local time) while attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) 'Davos Agenda' via video conference.

Fauci drew a line regarding recent speculations that the pandemic could end sooner due to the spread of Omicron, which is highly contagious but relatively mild in symptoms. He said, "I hope that happens," but cautiously added, "It would only apply if no other variant emerges that evades immune responses from previous variants."

In particular, Fauci mentioned that even if Omicron becomes the final variant of COVID-19, it will not be the virus's endgame. Rather, it could remain as an endemic disease. He explained, "At that stage, public health measures such as mask-wearing will no longer be necessary, and our society could somewhat return to pre-COVID-19 normal levels."

However, he emphasized, "There will be no complete eradication of the virus," adding, "I hope the (transmission) level will be low enough not to hinder normal social, economic, and other interactions in our society. That is the 'new normal' to me."

As of the previous day, the seven-day average of daily new COVID-19 cases in the United States was recorded at 801,903, marking four consecutive days in the 800,000 range.

After the rapid surge following the spread of Omicron, new cases in the U.S. have recently shown signs of slowing down. Especially in the East Coast, including New York, the average daily cases have decreased, showing improvement. CNBC reported in another article that "cities and states hit first by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant are now showing signs of easing," noting that in New York, Washington DC, Maryland, and others, case numbers have peaked and dropped by double digits compared to the previous week.

However, the seven-day average of daily hospitalizations, a lagging indicator of cases, reached a pandemic-high of 155,943. The daily average number of deaths is also approaching 2,000.