<Anchor>
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 14.9 million people worldwide have lost their lives in the past two years due to the effects of coronavirus.
In the United States, more than 1 million people have died from Corona so far, and SBS interviewed Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Adviser at the White House, who has served as the commander of the U.S. quarantine, for the first time in a Korean press.
Correspondent Kim Soo-hyung's exclusive interview will be read first and then the story will continue.
<Reporter>
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been in charge of response to infectious diseases since 1984.
Dr. Fauci, who responded to an exclusive video interview with SBS, reaffirmed that the United States is moving out of the stage of an explosive increase in the number of infections, while premised on the fact that the pandemic is still ongoing.
[Anthony Fauci/Chief Medical Adviser, White House: We are still in a pandemic situation, and it should be remembered that the pandemic is not over.
However, we are getting out of the stage of explosive infection.]
It was analyzed that this is because the number of people recovering after vaccination and infection has increased.
[Anthony Fauci / Chief Medical Adviser of the White House: If a significant proportion of the population of a country not only recovered after infection but also received additional vaccinations, the inpatient rate would be much lower than it was a year ago.]
Meanwhile, Korea is a country where the corona situation will be much better than last year .
I heard.
[Anthony Fauci/Chief Medical Adviser, White House: In Korea, for example, 88% of the population has been vaccinated.
This is a very good thing.
So, even if the number of confirmed cases increases, thanks to vaccination, Koreans will not be hospitalized and die on a large scale.]
I asked about the lifting of the mandatory outdoor mask, which has recently been implemented in Korea.
[Anthony Fauci / Chief Medical Officer of the White House: (Do you think it is safe to take off the mask outdoors?) I think it is quite safe.
The risk of (infection) is very low outdoors.]
However, it is up to the country to decide whether or not to wear a mask.
[Anthony Fauci/Chief Medical Adviser, White House: Given my age, I will wear a mask when flying.
Because I personally rate it as dangerous.]
Dr. Fauci explained two reasons for the failure of mankind to achieve herd immunity to coronavirus.
Unlike the polio and measles viruses, the coronavirus continues to mutate, and because of this, the effectiveness of the vaccine diminishes over time.
He explained that it is impossible to eradicate the coronavirus, but it is possible to control the spread of the infection.
[Anthony Fauci / Chief Medical Officer, White House: Corona can be controlled to some extent with a low infection rate as endemic.]
It was diagnosed that it is not yet known whether the omicron sub-mutations BA.4 and BA.5, which are expected to cause the 5th wave in South Africa, will cause global reproliferation.
[Anthony Fauci/Chief Medical Adviser, White House: I am not sure if this mutation will become an international risk.
It is necessary to track and observe how the new variants evolve.]
He advised that South Korea should also prepare a national strategy for responding to the next pandemic from now on.
[Anthony Fauci/Chief Medical Adviser, White House: All countries with available resources must prepare for a pandemic.
Since Korea is a well-developed country, it would be beneficial for Korea to have such a plan.]
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<Anchor>
Correspondent Kim Soo-hyung, I enjoyed the interview.
I heard that Dr. Fauci also talked about vaccine development in Korea. What was it?
<Reporter>
Dr. Fauci highly evaluated that some Korean bio companies have reached the final stage of clinical trials for a coronavirus vaccine.
He was also optimistic about the chances of successful vaccine development in Korea.
[Anthony Fauci / Chief Medical Adviser, White House: Vaccine development is also helpful for the Korean people.
Korea has an outstanding ability to make good vaccines.
There is no reason why we can't make a COVID-19 vaccine.]
<Anchor>
And we asked about the issue of providing a corona vaccine to North Korea, right?
<Reporter>
North Korea, which has not started vaccination, remains extremely vulnerable to the coronavirus.
Because of this, there are some observations from Washington that North Korea can start dialogue with North Korea by providing mRNA vaccines.
Dr Fauci said that it is up to the company's will to sell vaccines to North Korea by US companies such as Pfizer and Moderna, and not subject to US government approval.
At least, it means that the US government has no reason to oppose it.
[Anthony Fauci/Chief Medical Adviser, White House: Pfizer and Moderna can sell mRNA vaccines to anyone they want.
There is no doubt that the US government will allow it.]
<Anchor>
China's Asian Games have been postponed due to the corona virus, but Dr. Fauci said about continuing to adhere to the so-called 'zero corona' policy, which keeps no new confirmed cases.
What did you say?
<Reporter>
Dr. Fauci pointed out that China's zero-corona strategy can only be effective when implemented temporarily.
It can be shortened as a means to increase the vaccination rate for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, and the lockdown cannot be continued indefinitely.
(Video coverage: Park Eun-ha, video editing: Jeon Min-gyu)