‘We Have to Do Better’: Fauci Admits US is Falling Short on Covid Testing Under Pointed Grilling From Jake Tapper

CNN’s Jake Tapper pressed Dr. Anthony Fauci on why coronavirus testing isn’t more prevalent and accessible in America by now.

Tapper interviewed Fauci on Sunday’s State of the Union after opening the show with his observation that “The State of our Union is…expecting to get Covid.” As he noted that coronavirus cases are rising around the country again, Tapper spoke of long lines at testing sites while assessing that the new wave is “exposing real weaknesses in how the U.S. has dealt with the virus, especially when it comes to testing.”

The CNN anchor quizzed Fauci about the Biden administration’s anti-Covid efforts — invoking Vice President Kamala Harris’s recent Los Angeles Times interview in which she said the White House didn’t expect the emergence of the Covid Delta and Omicron variants. Fauci asserted “we certainly were anticipating that there were going to be variants,” even as he suggested that Harris was speaking of “the extent of the mutations,” saying “it kind of came out of nowhere.”

From there, Tapper noted that “the Biden administration does seem to be falling short when it comes to testing” — referencing those long lines seen in viral videos.

“As these cases are spiking, many Americans are stuck in long lines, many pharmacies are sold out of the rapid at-home tests, not to mention they’re expensive,” he said. “The White House mocked the idea of sending tests to every American. Is the state of testing in the United States acceptable to you?”

“Well, we’ve got to do better,” Fauci answered. While he argued that the government is building upon the positive developments the country has seen over the last year, Fauci went on to say “we really need to flood the system with testing. We need to have tests available for anyone who wants them, particularly when we’re in a situation right now where people are going to be gathering. Even though they are vaccinated and boosted, they may want to go that extra step, that extra mile to know that when we have people coming into the home, or going someplace that you could know in 15 minutes whether or not you’re positive.”

With above, via CNN.