Fauci praises South Carolina’s coronavirus response as one he would ‘almost want to clone’

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert who has become a key figure in the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic, praised South Carolina for its handling of the virus as it prepares to further relax its restrictions next week.

“You have put things in place that I think would optimize your capability of reopening,” Fauci said Tuesday during a Senate health committee meeting.

He characterized South Carolina’s response as something he would “almost want to clone.”

The laudatory comment came after U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., posed a question nearly three hours into a hearing before the Republican-led Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

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Scott highlighted recent efforts by the state to obtain more contact tracers, who are individuals tasked with determining the spread of the virus.

He emphasized the state plans to test 100 percent of nursing homes and staff members that take care of nursing home residents by the end of this month.

“While I respect the need for caution, we are too often presented with a false dichotomy of either saving our economy or saving lives,” Scott said.

Then, he asked Fauci his question: “What else would you suggest that we could do to protect our most vulnerable populations?”

Full article here.