During an on-air interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Feb. 1, Fauci expressed optimism that the once-troubled rollout of COVID-19 vaccines across the U.S. was about to “get better very quickly.” According to Fauci, the federal government has recently undertaken new measures to correct course on vaccine distribution. “Obviously we are aware of those problems that are existing,” Fauci told Blitzer. “As you know, President [Joe] Biden has made this his really top priority to try to smooth all of that out with any number of mechanisms, be it making sure as we get vaccines in, we can get community vaccine centers, get them better allocated to the pharmacies, and even, in some respects, getting mobile units to go out into poorly accessible areas.” And for more vaccine news, find out why You’re More Likely to Have Vaccine Side Effects If You’ve Done This. While the notoriously slow initial phases of the vaccines’ release had caused concern, recent figures show that the pace is beginning to quicken. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of administered vaccine doses has jumped from 16.5 million on the day Biden took office, Jan. 20, to 32.2 million as of Feb. 2, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. That’s an average of about 1.3 million doses per day, above the administration’s goal of 1 million daily doses. And for more on the latest immunization updates, check out The FDA Just Changed Its Stance on This COVID Vaccine Precaution. Fauci also pointed out how Biden’s recent decision to tap the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. military to help in administering vaccines will also help get over any issues that remain. He explained to CNN that the proposed plan, which could involve up to 10,000 active members of the U.S. national guard being sent to mass vaccination sites, would likely soon be set into motion “literally imminently to make sure that we get over these logistic problems that we have right now.” And for more vaccine updates sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. But while Fauci remains optimistic that the pace of inoculations will finally hit its stride, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director still urged Americans to “step to the plate” and continue to follow the basic, day-to-day health guidelines that have helped keep people safe since the early days of the pandemic: diligent hand washing, wearing a face mask, avoiding crowds in poorly ventilated spaces, and practicing social distancing.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb “There is light at the end of the tunnel,” he said, “but it’s going to be up to us.” And for more on what you should avoid after receiving your jab, check out Dr. Fauci Says Doing This After Getting Vaccinated Is a Huge Mistake.
