8/10/2021- 8:50 p.m.
Washington – Fauci had been asked about comments made over the weekend by American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten in which she indicated she would also support mandating coronavirus vaccinations for all teachers across the country.
He said he supports any effort from local governments to mandate that teachers be vaccinated against the coronavirus.Â
“I mean, we are in a critical situation now. We have had 615,000 deaths and we are in a major surge now as we’re going into the fall, into the school season. This is very serious business.”
Fauci, and other leading public health officials, have said that all eligible adults becoming vaccinated against the virus is the surest way to slow the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant and ensure a safe return to the classroom this fall.
“I’m going to upset people on this but I think we should [mandate teacher vaccinations],” Fauci said.
The delta variant of the virus has sent daily case counts and hospitalization rates soaring in recent weeks, especially in portions of the country with lower vaccination rates.
“You would wish that people would see why it’s so important for people to get vaccinated,” Fauci said. “But you’re not going to get mandates, centrally, from the federal government.”
In several states where local leaders have resisted mask mandates, the spread is especially prevalent among children, a demographic for which a vaccination has not been approved for use.
