US expert Fauci advises India to marshal all resources, including Army, to fight Covid surge

Expressing concern over surging coronavirus cases in India, America’s top public health expert and White House Chief Medical Adviser Dr Anthony Fauci recommended a nationwide lockdown, a massive vaccination drive and the construction of a large number of makeshift hospitals.

Terming the situation in India “very desperate”, America’s top public health expert Dr Anthony Fauci has suggested the government marshal all its resources, including the armed forces, to immediately build makeshift field hospitals, and urged other countries to help with not only materials but also personnel. In an exclusive interview to PTI, Fauci, who is the Chief Medical Adviser to US President Joe Biden, also called for a nationwide lockdown, not necessarily for six months but “for a few weeks” to break the “continuity and transmission of infection.” Dr Fauci’s suggestions and dire assessment of India came as the number of new Covid infections in India officially passed 2 crores, almost double the number three months ago. Of these more than 2,20,000 people have died, according to official figures.