Skip to main content

Military Health System

Dr. Fauci delivers COVID-19 update at joint Grand Rounds

Image of Two men in masks; one a military soldier, and the other wearing a suit. Two men in masks; one a military soldier, and the other wearing a suit.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, and a member of the White House COVID-19 Task Force, discussed the current pandemic response efforts as the guest speaker for the first combined virtual Uniformed Services University-Walter Reed National Military Medical Department of Medicine Grand Rounds held in mid-August.

“It was an absolute privilege and honor to have Dr. Fauci speak to our military medical community today,” said Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Jason Blaylock, chief of the Department of Medicine at WRNMMC. “As one of the world’s leading experts in infectious diseases, he has played a pivotal role in orchestrating our nation’s response to numerous infectious disease outbreaks over the past 40 years, and most recently to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Fauci discussed the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 strain of coronavirus, and its subsequent transmission throughout the world, calling it the “worst respiratory pandemic we’ve had in 102 years since the now-infamous 1918 flu.” He said that, although the numbers change daily, currently there are more than 20 million cases worldwide resulting in 749,039 deaths. Fauci said that the U.S. has suffered the worst of the insult, with more than 5 million cases and 164,000 deaths to date. Although initially the northeastern U.S. was hardest hit, the southern and western regions now have the highest number of cases.

He gave an overview of transmission, risks for infection, and personal and public health preventive measures. Fauci also discussed how to effectively and safely bring children back into the classroom.

“We know from the American Academy of Pediatrics that it’s important that when children are not in school there are deleterious consequences that are psychological … and in some parts of the country, children depend on school for breakfast and lunch. The underlying predominant factor is the safety of children, teachers, etc.” He went on to say that there are different levels of infection within the U.S. that have been categorized as green, yellow, or red.

“With green, I can say somewhat with impunity, that it’s good to send kids back. Yellow: Schools must have the capability of mitigating any risk of infection through wearing masks, separating desks, [having children go] outdoors more than indoors, opening windows where possible, having susceptible children be online, alternating days, etc. And red: Be careful. Try to get the city, county, or state down to yellow. The best way to open schools is to get closer to green. The bottom line is, we’ve got to be flexible.”

Fauci also discussed the merits of conducting temperature checks at entrances to medical facilities, saying that the benefit of doing so is “marginal.”

“We have found at the NIH that it’s much better to just question people when they come in and save the time because the temperatures are notoriously inaccurate at times. At the NIH Clinical Center and at the White House, we’ve abandoned entry by determination of temperature for the following reason: It’s the middle of the summer; we’ve had what…15 days, 90 degrees in a row. I went to the White House the other day. My temp was like 103 until I took it in the air-conditioned car and then it was 97.4. When I tried to get into another facility, my temperature was 93, which means I probably should’ve been on a respirator. So I think we’ve just got to abandon that [temperature-taking], be prudent, ask questions, and do it that way,” he said.

During the Q&A session, Blaylock asked Fauci about the likelihood of reinfection by the virus once initially infected. “It has been purely rare and anecdotal. In every anecdotal case I’ve seen, there could have been another explanation for that. So, I can say that although we have to leave open the possibility, it is likely so, so rare that right now with what we know, it’s not an issue,” he responded. “We must be humble and honest enough to realize that as we gain more data, this could change, but based on what we know today, in the middle of August, there does not appear to be any indication that that’s occurring.”

Fauci talked about the virus’s ability to mutate and the impact to vaccine candidates, saying that SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus, so “it absolutely mutates.” He said that most mutations in an RNA virus do not have any functional consequences.

“We do know – and this is important – there has been now an association of a mutation of one amino acid to another at position 614 that leads to a better binding to the ACE2 receptor, which hints that it is going to be much easier to transmit. We need to get more definitive indication of that. I think it might actually be the case, but we don’t know,” he said, urging caution. “We took the structural confirmation and looked at where the mutation was and it doesn’t seem at all to interfere with any of the antibodies that are important that are being induced by the vaccine. So it may make something a bit more transmissible but doesn’t negatively impact the vaccine issue.”

Fauci was asked about current vaccine candidates and whether he had a sense of how long any of them might confer immunity.

“The answer is no. We’ll find that out. The reason is we don’t know it right now. We’ve given the vaccine in a Phase 1 study and Phase 2 study, which was just a couple of months ago, so we know it lasts a couple of months. Whether it’s three months, six months, a year, a year and a half, we just don’t know. We’re hoping that it lasts a full cycle of a season so that it protects, and if, in fact, it wanes, we can give it a boost. And that’s what we’re hoping for. We’re hoping we get sustained immunity but if we don’t, I think we can easily use a boost to bring it back up,” Fauci responded.

Fauci said that convalescent plasma as an effective treatment for COVID-19 infection is “suggestive, not definitive.” He said that the Food and Drug Administration is carefully looking at some data from non-placebo, controlled trials that were given on an expanded access program, and that within the next two weeks he will know whether there is indication of efficacy. “If not, then we’ll have to wait for the randomized placebo-controlled trial,” he said. He went on to say that there is suggestive evidence that it is protective if administered as early as possible in the onset of infection, and that they are currently collecting convalescent plasma to determine its potential uses.

Although grand rounds are typically localized events, the talk was broadcast live on social media by NIAID and WRNMMC to maximize exposure for providers throughout the Military Health System. More than 1,100 attendees tuned in live from around the country for the nearly one-hour session organized by Blaylock and USU Department of Medicine Chair, Army Col. (Dr.) Kevin Chung. Within 24 hours, the recorded session had been viewed more than 60,000 times combined on the NIAID and WRNNMC social media sites.

"This event was a smashing success by any measure. Goes to show what can happen when we combine the organizational talents of USU, Walter Reed, and the NIH,” said Chung. “We are grateful to Dr. Fauci for accepting our invitation to speak, and to NIAID and Walter Reed for allowing the event to be broadcast widely, not only throughout the MHS but also to the public."

“He is truly one of our finest leaders, and we are incredibly grateful that he was able to provide some remarkable insight into the many challenges that our military medical treatment facilities have been facing over the past several months,” Blaylock said.

The grand rounds talk was recorded and is available for viewing on Facebook.

You also may be interested in...

COVID-19 Pfizer Vaccine

Publication
8/17/2022

Pfizer mRNA vaccines are available. Pfizer includes two doses, 21 days apart.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine | Get to Know the COVID-19 Vaccines | Types of COVID-19 Vaccines | Coronavirus & the MHS Response

COVID-19 Moderna Vaccine

Publication
8/17/2022

Moderna and mRNA vaccines are available. Moderna includes two doses, 28 days apart.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine | Get to Know the COVID-19 Vaccines | Types of COVID-19 Vaccines | Coronavirus & the MHS Response

Learn the Most Recent Age Requirements for COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters

Article
8/10/2022
A man fist bumps a child.

The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to get your vaccines and booster shots.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response | COVID-19 Vaccine Efforts

Telemedicine Privilege by Proxy Expands Access to MHS Care

Article
8/10/2022
Infographic featuring Lt Col Legault

MHS has Telemedicine Privilege by Proxy: A fast, efficient process that enables providers to file one application and get permission to virtually treat patients anywhere in the MHS.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Telehealth Program

Whole Health System Approach to Long COVID

Publication
8/1/2022

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration is leading an effort to equip health care providers with a Veteran-centered Whole Health System approach to caring for Veterans with Long COVID, also known as post-COVID-19 conditions.

Recommended Content:

COVID-19 Information for Military Treatment Facility Directors | Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Coronavirus

DHA-IPM 20-004: Department of Defense (DOD) Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Implementation

Policy

Establishes the Defense Health Agency’s procedures to implement instructions, assign responsibilities, and prescribe procedures for the DHA’s implementation of the DOD’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program.

Future of Nursing: Telehealth, More Innovation and Maybe Some Robots

Article
5/13/2022
Second Lt. Nina Hoskins, 81st Surgical Operations Squadron operating room nurse, briefs Col. Debra Lovette, 81st Training Wing commander, and other base leadership on robotics surgery capabilities inside the robotics surgery clinic at the Keesler Medical Center June 16, 2017. (Photo: Kemberly Groue, U.S. Air Force)

The future of nursing is here due in part to changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recommended Content:

Nursing in the Military Health System | Coronavirus & the MHS Response

How One Military Nurse Persevered Through the COVID-19 Response

Article
5/5/2022
Air Force Capt. Courtney Ebeling, a medical-surgical nurse at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Family Health Clinic, Texas, was deployed to support the COVID-19 response in Afghanistan in 2021. They administered vaccinations to U.S. citizens, service members, and foreign military members as well as supported the preparation to withdraw from the country. (Photo: Courtesy of Air Force Capt. Courtney Ebeling)

Nurses across the Military Health System have played a vital role in providing routine patient care and meeting the needs of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Nursing in the Military Health System

‘I Love the Intensity’ – One Nurse Recalls Three COVID-19 Deployments

Article
5/5/2022
In 2020, Air Force 1st Lt. Tiffany Parra, an ICU nurse at the 633rd Medical Group, on Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, was deployed to a North Dakota hospital to support a FEMA COVID-19 mission. In the photo, she trains on equipment used for critical patients in a North Dakota ICU. (Photo: Courtesy of Air Force 1st Lt. Tiffany Parra)

Nurses are unique, they follow a calling to care for others. Military nurses do that as well as serve their nation. For Nurses Week, the MHS highlights some of their own.

Recommended Content:

Nursing in the Military Health System | Coronavirus & the MHS Response

Pandemic Spotlights the Vital Role of Military Lab Workers

Article
5/2/2022
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Ashley Solomon, 18th Medical Support Squadron NCO in charge of microbiology, unloads blood samples from a centrifuge at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Jan. 31, 2019. (Photo: Tech. Sgt. Matthew B. Fredericks, U.S. Air Force)

MHS clinical labs produce results.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine | Coronavirus & the MHS Response

Helping Your Child to Cope with Grief and Losses Related to COVID-19

Article
4/28/2022
Shirley Lanham Elementary School students perform Taiko drumming during a Month of the Military Child celebration aboard the Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, April 6, 2022. (Photo: Petty Officer 2nd Class Ange-Olivier Clement, Naval Air Facility Atsugi)

Many military children have lost loved ones to COVID-19. How parents can help with the grief.

Recommended Content:

Month of the Military Child - Celebrating Military Kids | Children's Health | Psychological Fitness | Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine | Coronavirus & the MHS Response

How to Help Military Children Reconnect After Two Years of the Pandemic

Article
4/25/2022
Airman 1st Class Rocio Romo, Space Launch Delta 30 public affairs specialist, and her son pose for a photo at Cocheo Park on Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, March 25, 2022. During the month of April, we celebrate Month of the Military Child to highlight the sacrifices military children make on the home front while their parents serve the United States. (Photo: Airman Kadielle Shaw, Space Launch Delta 30 Public Affairs)

How parents can help children stressed by more than two years of COVID-19.

Recommended Content:

Month of the Military Child - Celebrating Military Kids | Children's Health | Psychological Fitness | Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine | Coronavirus & the MHS Response

COVID-19 Booster Effectiveness Remained High During Omicron Surge

Article
4/18/2022
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Mary Ashcraft, assigned to the combat ship USS Tulsa, administers a COVID-19 vaccine booster to Aviation Machinist Mate 1st Class Anthony Johnson Jan. 10, 2022, at Apra Harbor, Guam. (Photo: Mass Communication Specialist Petty Officer 1st Class Devin M. Langer, Command Destroyer Squadron 7)

Two new studies of active-duty service members show COVID-19 booster vaccines are effective, but uptake rates in the military community lagged behind the civilian population.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine | Coronavirus & the MHS Response | COVID-19 Vaccine Efforts

8 Tips to Help Kids Adjust to Change during the New Pandemic Phase

Article
4/15/2022
A parent comforts his child while she receives a pediatric dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Jan. 28, 2022. (Photo: Airman 1st Class Anna Nolte, 18th Wing Public Affairs)

Parents should prepare their kids for the new normal of the ongoing pandemic, recognizing that the status of the disease can change quickly as new variants of COVID-19 emerge.

Recommended Content:

Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Vaccine | Coronavirus & the MHS Response | Children's Health

Military Medical Officials Back FY 23 Budget Before Senate Appropriations Committee

Article
4/6/2022
Marines with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing take precautionary measures by cleaning and disinfecting their hands during field day on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., March 20, 2020, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 while continuing to perform mission-essential tasks. (Photo: Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jaime Reyes)

Military Medical officials, including Army Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Ronald J. Place, Defense Health Agency director, back FY 23 Budget before the Senate Appropriations Committee, March 29, 2022.

Recommended Content:

Public Health | Coronavirus & the MHS Response
<< < 1 2 3 4 5  ... > >> 
Showing results 16 - 30 Page 2 of 23
Refine your search
Last Updated: August 15, 2022
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery