The spread of coronavirus in the US is “inevitable,” according to experts. They advise Americans to prepare for the outbreak as it may reach communities throughout the country.
"When you start to see sustained transmission in other countries throughout the world, it's inevitable that it will come to the United States," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in an interview with NBC News.
"It's not so much a question of if this will happen anymore but rather more a question of exactly when this will happen and how many people in this country will have severe illness," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the head of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told the media on Tuesday.
Restrictions on travel to and from China and the isolation of identified cases are the current efforts to mitigate the spread of coronavirus in the US.
Messonnier reiterated that the CDC’s "level of concern and expectation that we'll see spread" in the US hinges on the increase in the number of cases in countries like Iran and Italy. There are more than 300 cases in Italy and almost 100 in Iran.
Meanwhile, 57 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the US. Most of them are among repatriated residents who boarded the Diamond Princess cruise ship, docked in Japan.
The CDC believes the spread may cause disruptions to the daily lives of Americans once the virus starts spreading. These disruptions could be closing schools and postponement of elective medical procedures.
"We should all be dusting off our pandemic preparedness plans and rehearse them very quickly," said Dr. William Schaffner, a disease specialist at Vanderbilt University, adding "The core concept is social distancing."
He points out that business leaders must start giving employees the option to work from home. He adds that people could observe religious traditions at home instead of participate in community gatherings. Families are advised to prepare for staying for a week or two at home especially with medicine, food, and even entertainment.
"The immediate risk to the general American public remains low. But, as we have warned, that has the potential to change quickly,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.
“The fact that we have been able to keep cases to this low level is an accomplishment, especially given that we are, unfortunately, beginning to see community spread in a growing number of other countries," Azar said.
