How long until there is a normal or is there a new normal in the foreseeable future?

Well, I think it's going to be gradual, Max, I think very very.

We've already seen the C.

D.

C come out with the first in what will be multiple installments of what vaccinated people can do, you know, the first step in the family setting vaccinated together with vaccinated or vaccinated with unvaccinated.

You're going to be hearing more and more as the weeks go by about the things that we can recommend that vaccinated people can do.

So we're gonna see a continual approach towards normality.

I hope by the time we get to the end of the summer, the beginning of the fall will be very close to what we would consider normal.

And when you say normal, Dr Fauci specifically, what does that mean?

Because even when I just took my shot the other day, they still said, we're still encouraging you to wear a mask.

Even if you take your second shot, we're still encouraging you to wear a mask and things of that nature.

So when you say normal can you be specific about what you believe close to normal entails.

Well, what it's going to be, uh, is gonna be really depending upon where you are and what the level of infection is.

So if it's completely normal, that means that you could get on a plane and go to anywhere in the world and not worry about anything and not where a mask.

I don't think that's going to be that way for quite a while in the United States, approaching normal, where we'll have gradual withdrawal of the need to get to be wearing masks, I think we'll be wearing masks longer than what we would consider normal.

It will be, as Max said, kind of a new normal, where we'll be married, masked under certain circumstances.

When you're out in the community and not a hard percentage of people are vaccinated, if we can get the overwhelming proportion of the population vaccinated and the level of infection namely test positivity is very, very low, then we can start talking about going back from wearing mask.

But right now, even though we're doing well, the baseline of normal, not normal but the baseline of infections every day is between 50 and 60,000.

That's extremely high.

So even though things are getting much better, that's the reason why we still have to be wearing masks.

A lot of infections still out in the community, for sure.

And Stephen A.

You got your first vaccine?

I can't wait to get mine.

As soon as I can sign up that day, I will be there.

Dr.

Fauci, I want to transition.

For a moment I mentioned you've been running point for our country.

But you also were a point guard on the court.

So I've got some pictures.

I need America to see the other side of you back in the day.

And you provided us with a list of your top five favorite athletes.

And I thought, It's a pretty interesting list here.

You got cozy mantle.

Curry shares are in ham, but because you were a point guard, as we can see there from the photos, tell me this two point guards on your list.

Who do you think the greatest point guard in basketball history?

Well, you know, uh, I hate to say the best, and that's why I said my favorite.

Uh, but But Steph is amazing.

I mean, I mean, Steph Curry his ability to shoot that basketball at three point range.

I mean, I was at a game right here in Washington, D.

C.

When they were playing the Wizards, and it was unbelievable.

He was taking shots from a couple of feet past half court and and he he missed, like, one out of 15.

It was amazing.

I mean, so I've got to go with staff.

I mean, he's just one of the most exciting players ever.

Dr.

Fauci, it seems like you like short point guards with handles.

It seems like you you picked the two short point guards with handles.

Is that right?

Well, that is true, because I can identify to them.

I was a quite short point.

God, I wasn't really within the same range as there, but I can relate to them very much.

And then did you have handles?

I mean, cause he was the guy who, you know?

Yeah, no, I was actually, you know, I was I was okay.

I was I wasn't bad.

I was very I had a lot of speed back then.

The game was mostly a fastbreak game.

That type of thing, and that was my kind of game.

So I mean, if I had to go up and up against somebody taller than I am, that's a problem.

You try to drive around him, but on a fast transition game, I was pretty good.

Dr.

Fauci, you talked about your favorite players.

What about your favorite team?

Who would that be?

Well, you know, right now, I live in Washington, D.

C.

And my favorite team.

Was they not last year, but the year before Washington national baseball team that won the World Series championship?

What an incredible team that was.

You grew up a Yankees fan because I see mental.

I did.

You know I did.

So I had a change.

Allegiances.

I was a very avid Yankee fan when I was a kid.

Of all the teams to give up Dr Fauci, I gave up the Knicks when I moved to L.

A.

Yeah, he's not.

He's not bandwagon like you, Max Kellerman.

Dr Fauci.

Before we let you go, let's have a little more fun here.

Who do you think it's going to be in the World Series this year?

You know, it's a tough call.

I mean, I have to be loyal to the Washington, uh, Nationals.

But, you know, the L A.

Dodgers are really a very good team, so we'll see what happens.

All right, And then let's go to the NBA real quick.

You think the Lakers repeat again?

Yeah.

I mean, they're an extraordinarily powerful team.

I mean, yeah, I mean, anybody that bets against the Lakers has got a long way to go, so I wouldn't do that.

I don't think so.

How about Brooklyn with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden?

I like those chances.

No, I do to Stephen A.

I actually do that a lot particularly, You know, when you play in Brooklyn having grown up and learned my basketball on the outdoor courts in Brooklyn, there's a lot of basketball spirit in that city.

Especially they haven't had a champion since 55.

A team since 57.

They're thirsty.

They're thirsty.

And chocolate.

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