“It’s hard to leave at a time when the pandemic still hasn’t reached its peak and the worst days haven’t come,” Redfield told The New York Times. “It would have been more rewarding to leave when the pandemic is under control, but I do feel proud.“ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Later in the interview, Redfield once again echoed his warning that we haven’t seen the darkest days of this virus. “I still believe the worst is yet to come,” he repeated. “The reality is we are in for some very difficult time.” And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. A report released by the CDC on Jan. 15 said the U.K. strain “has the potential to increase the U.S. pandemic trajectory in the coming months.” According to their model, the more transmissible strain is expected to travel so swiftly that by March, it will become the dominant variant in the U.S. In light of this, the CDC is warning people that they need to adhere to COVID precautions such as distancing, masking, hand hygiene, and avoiding indoor gatherings immediately. “These measures will be more effective if they are instituted sooner rather than later to slow the initial spread” of the U.K. strain, according to the CDC. And for more on the future of the pandemic, The Moderna CEO Just Made This Scary Prediction About COVID. In looking back on his work heading the CDC, Redfield said the most difficult part of the job was trying to orchestrate an effective response to the pandemic in a country “where there’s been probably more than 30 years of underinvestment in public health across this nation.” And if you’re worried about staying healthy, The CDC Warns Against Using These 6 Face Masks. A key to curtailing COVID is adhering to the various precautions that can help slow the spread of the virus until the majority of people are vaccinated. Redfield said his “greatest disappointment was the lack of consistency of public health messaging and the inconsistency of civic leaders to reinforce the public health message.” Within the U.S., COVID restrictions—like lockdowns and mask mandates—have varied significantly from state to state. “The fact that we didn’t have an alignment meant we had the private sector and public sector all wrestling with how to put it together independently,” Redfield said. And for more on coronavirus mitigation measures, These 2 COVID Precautions May Not Be Necessary After All, New Study Finds.
