Fauci says unvaccinated Americans are "propagating this outbreak" as Delta spreads - CBS News

Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Biden, said Sunday that Americans who remain unvaccinated against the coronavirus are "propagating" the latest outbreak of cases of the highly contagious Delta variant.

"We have 100 million people in this country … who are eligible to be vaccinated, who are not vaccinated," Fauci said in an interview with "Face the Nation." "We've really got to get those people to change their minds, make it easy for them, convince them, do something to get them to be vaccinated because they are the ones that are propagating this outbreak.".

The report found that fully vaccinated people with so-called breakthrough infections of the Delta variant can spread the virus, and they carried roughly the same amount of virus in their nasopharynx as the unvaccinated. .

But no deaths were reported, and of the four fully vaccinated people who were hospitalized, two had underlying medical conditions.

The "predominant message," he said, is that "if you're vaccinated, you're much, much more protected against getting infected than an unvaccinated who is completely vulnerable.".

Fauci said breakthrough infections are expected, since no vaccine is 100% effective, but said those who are vaccinated and become infected with the coronavirus experience either minimal symptoms or no symptoms at all.

A study released Friday from the Kaiser Family Foundation found the rate of breakthrough cases reported among the fully vaccinated is less than 1% in states that provide such data.

Now that federal health officials know those with breakthrough infections can transmit the Delta variant, Fauci said the "fundamental reason" for the change in the CDC's mask guidance is to ensure the virus is not spread to the vulnerable or elderly, as well as children who are not yet eligible for the coronavirus vaccines.