Anthony Fauci '62 Provides Expert Knowledge to Media on the Zika Virus

the New York Times reported on Jan. 28, saying that the disease was “spreading explosively in the Americas.” Anthony Fauci, M.D. ’62, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, discussed with the New York Times how scientists are working to combat the virus. “We are already on our way on the first steps to developing a vaccine,” he told the Times. “And we have just started to work on a diagnostic to tell if someone’s been infected.”

Fauci has been the go-to expert for several national news outlets covering the virus. ABC news reported on a recent news conference in which Fauci discussed how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration “is looking into changing its policy, which would affect all blood donations in the U.S.” Fauci said, “The FDA is looking at the issue of blood supply, blood donors and travelers. We know it’s in the blood stream very briefly, most people have cleared the bloodstream of the virus after about a week.”  Fauci also spoke with CNN on how great a risk the Zika virus poses to the U.S.

Select Media Coverage

• C-SPAN, Feb. 11: Dr. Anthony Fauci on the Zika Virus.
• NBC Washington, Feb. 10: Dr. Anthony Fauci on Fighting the Zika Virus.
• CBS News, Feb. 1: Zika virus declared global health emergency.
• USA Today, Jan 31: Zika virus in the news.

This “Holy Cross in the News” item is by Emma Collins ’16.