Fauci: Vaccine Results Are ‘Important Advance,’ But Virus Precautions Are Still Vital

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH, is pictured on Capitol Hill on Sept. 23. Fauci tells NPR it’s “OK to celebrate” the vaccine news.

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s foremost infectious disease expert, tells NPR that it’s “OK to celebrate” the good news about Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine, but warned it’s not the time to back off on basic health measures.

The biotechnology Moderna Inc. said Monday that its experimental vaccine was 94.5% effective in preventing the disease, according to data from its clinical trial.

“From a scientific and potential public health standpoint, this is an extraordinarily important advance,” Fauci told Rachel Martin on Morning Edition Tuesday.