Fauci: US teenagers to get vaccinated by autumn, elementary kids by next year

Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Adviser to US President Joe Biden has assured that the high school students in the United States should be able to receive COVID-19 vaccine by autumn. He told the CBS channel that the elementary school kids will get vaccinated in early 2022. He also talked about the new New York strain that has shown resistance to antibody treatments and vaccine.

New strain is not widespread

Dr. Anthony Fauci said that it's not widespread but is spreading through the New York City metropolitan area and beyond. He said that the new variant was proving rather vigorous in its ability to spread. He also talked about the COVID-19 situation in the country. He said that the states are easing restrictions as there is a decline in cases but the cases had begun to plateau at 60,000 to 70,000 new infections per day which were not acceptable. 

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Dr. Anthony Fauci further said that history has shown that when there is the rise in cases, there is not a decline immediately. Fauci said that he expected the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue relaxed guidelines for people who have vaccinated. He has asked to keep an eye on mitigation measures for the people who are still in line for vaccines. 

Read: COVID-19: US Children Could Receive Vaccine By Year End, Says Fauci

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Do not wait for a particular vaccine

Dr. Anthony Fauci last week had said that if he weren't vaccinated, he would take any of the three vaccines available at the moment, reasserting the safety and efficacy of all anti-COVID-19 drugs approved in the country. Fauci, while talking to CNN, urged Americans to not delay getting inoculated and take any of the three COVID-19 vaccines as quickly as possible. Fauci's comment comes a day after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted EUA to Johnson & Johnson's COVID vaccine.