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As a result of BA.5, the number of new cases in the United States has reached an all-time high, prompting health officials to urge the public to avoid past mistakes and negligence. “We now know, two and a half years after the pandemic started, that anywhere from 50 – 60 percent of infections are spread by someone who doesn’t have symptoms or will never get them,” Dr. Anthony Fauci says. “However, if we had known about the epidemic’s spread in the community at that time, the malicious nature of it would have been a lot more of an alarm, and there would have been far stronger restrictions such as physical distance or face masks.” According to Dr. Fauci, these are the four areas in which you would most likely find COVID-19.
1 — Indoor Restaurants
Indoor restaurants are vulnerable to infections, especially if customers do not use masks. “If you have restaurants indoors in a city with a high infection rate and no masks on, that’s an issue,” says Dr. Fauci. “Restaurants are a crucial transmission site, no doubt about it. These hazards become even more essential if you live in an area where the community is rife with infection. And that’s why, when we give a prescription depending on the degree of infection in the neighborhood, we’re very, very clear.”
2 — Bars
Bars are high-risk indoor settings, especially while people drink alcohol. “Bars are a really crucial location for the circulation of infection; there’s no doubt about it,” says Dr. Fauci. “If you’re in a community with a lot of spread, those concerns become even more pressing. That’s why we are extremely clear when making recommendations depending on the degree of infection in the community.”
3 — Gyms
“I’d never go to a gym,” Dr. Fauci adds. “I’m so wary. I don’t want to take the chance. I have a pool at home, so I swim in it regularly… I used to run for about an hour until around a year ago, when my back would tighten up the next morning every time I went running. So now, instead of jogging, I walk the same distance every day. It just takes longer.”
4 — Crowded Grocery Stores
“I’m a little careful about grocery shopping,” Dr. Fauci has said. “I go physically to the store, but I put on a mask and keep my distance,” he says. “I typically visit at odd hours. I spend half of the day alone in my office, and I am part-time at the White House. After finishing my work at the White House, I go grocery shopping or to drug stores in the late afternoon or evening. The bags are not disinfected. In general, after removing the items from the bags, washing my hands with soap and water, and applying Purell, I allow everything to sit for a day before using it.”
