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Dr. Fauci says Labor Day will be crucial for slowing COVID spread this fall

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 31: Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies during a House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing on July 31, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump administration officials are set to defend the federal government's response to the coronavirus crisis at the hearing hosted by a House panel calling for a national plan to contain the virus. (Photo by Erin Scott-Pool/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON – The nation’s top infectious disease expert is warning that Labor Day weekend could play a major role when it comes to slowing COVID-19 ahead of the looming cool temperatures of fall.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Monday that the holiday weekend will determine the country’s chances at having a “running start” when it comes to containing the virus.


He added that he has a “great deal of faith in the American people” that they will follow CDC recommendations of masks, hand washing, social distancing and avoiding crowds.

Earlier in the pandemic, two other holiday weekends – Memorial Day and the Fourth of July – were tied to outbreaks in parts of the country.

Fauci addressed the upcoming weekend during a White House conference call with governors, according to the Associated Press.