Dr. Anthony Fauci paid a virtual visit to Will Smith to address a sad statistic related to the COVID-19 pandemic, that African-Americans are being disproportionately infected with the coronavirus.
Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is the next guest on Smith’s Snapchat show “Will at Home”.
In a sneak peek at the episode, airing on Wednesday, Fauci answers questions about the virus asked by youngsters aged 5 to 16.
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Addressing the prevalence of cases in African-American communities, Fauci declared, “It’s really terrible, because it’s just one of the failings of our society, that African-Americans have a disproportionate prevalence in incidents of the very comorbid conditions that put you at a high risk,” Fauci told Smith, listing such maladies as hypertension, obesity, diabetes and asthma as putting people at higher risk.
“If you get infected, you’re going to have a poor outcome,” Fauci said, noting that the pandemic is focusing “a bright shining light on what disparities of health mean.”
Fauci also answered a question from a teenager, who asked if the pandemic is “ever going to end, or is this something we’re going to have to be doing for a good portion of our lives?”
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Responded Fauci: “When we have a vaccine, and we have enough baseline immunity, this is something you are not going to worry about for the rest of your life. It’s tough now, and it may be tough for another year, but this is something that will go away, I promise you.”
In addition, Fauci fielded a question from a 7-year-old wondering if the tooth fairy will still visit during the pandemic, and if she’s susceptible to the virus.
“I’ve got to tell you Ava, I don’t think you have to worry about the tooth fairy,” Fauci replied. “So when your tooth falls out, you stick it under your pillow, and I guarantee you, that that tooth fairy is not going to get infected and is not going to get sick.”
