Fauci: Next Few Weeks 'Critical' To Stopping Spread Of Virus

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the U.S., said the next few weeks will be "critical" to stopping the spread of the virus.

During a House panel Tuesday, Fauci said fighting the virus is currently a "mixed bag." While he praised New York for its handling of the virus, he said "community spread" is leading to a "disturbing surge of infections" in Florida, Texas, Arizona and other states.

Fauci warned Americans that while they're anxious to get back to more regular lives, they can't throw "caution to the wind."

“Plan A, don’t go in a crowd. Plan B, if you do, make sure you wear a mask,” Fauci said.

Additionally, Fauci contradicted a statement President Trump made at an Oklahoma rally Saturday, when he told his supporters he asked his coronavirus response task force to test fewer people so the U.S. could have a lower number of reported cases.

Fauci said: "As a member of the task force, and my colleagues on the task force ... to my knowledge, none of us have ever been told to slow down on testing. That just is a fact. In fact, we will be doing more testing."