© 2026 ABC News

The delta variant was present in at least 51% of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. between June 20 and July 3, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which Fauci said should concern individuals who aren't vaccinated.

\"It's very clear that this is a nasty variant, it has a much greater capability of transmitting from person to person,\" Fauci said.

White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci tells @GStephanopoulos there's \"good news, bad news\" with prevalence of Delta variant: \"The bad news is that we have a very nasty variant, the good news is that we have a vaccine that works against it.\" https://t.co/V7GmzOxJzQ pic.twitter.com/qEhgqCHO0G

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) July 11, 2021

At least 25 states have seen an uptick in coronavirus cases as vaccination rates dropped to their lowest point since January, averaging 600,000 daily administered doses this past week compared to an average of 1 million administered doses the week prior. According to the CDC, 99.7% of current cases are among the unvaccinated.

Stephanopoulos also noted that Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, who appeared later on \"This Week,\" has said that the vaccines' lack of full authorization has contributed to vaccine hesitancy.

\"I think the governor does have a point there,\" Fauci said in response.

\"So although it's understandable -- quite understandable that some people might say, well, we want to wait for the full approval, that's really only a technical issue,\" Fauci continued. \"But there's no doubt in my mind that these vaccines are going to get full approval because of the extraordinary amount of positive data.\"

As Arkansas' governor points to lack of full authorization for vaccines as part of why the state lags in vaccinations, Dr. Fauci says he \"does have a point,\" adding: \"That's really only a technical issue... these vaccines are going to get full approval.\" https://t.co/fiHuwvmVvN pic.twitter.com/uA0vyaDdPV

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) July 11, 2021

Stephanopoulos also asked Fauci to clarify the need for booster shots after the CDC and Food and Drug Administration said a booster shot is not necessary at this time, following an announcement from Pfizer about the need for a third shot of its COVID-19 vaccine 6 to 12 months after individuals are fully vaccinated.

\"So there's a lot of dynamic things going on right now,\" Fauci responded. \"Though the CDC and the FDA correctly said right now we don't feel you need a booster. That doesn't mean that we're not very -- very actively following and gathering all of this information to see if and when we might need it and -- if and when we do -- we'll have everything in place to do it.\"

\"The CDC put out guidance this week urging all schools to open this fall. They said masks are not necessary for fully vaccinated students and teachers. But they left most of the key decisions on issues like distancing and whether to wear masks up to the local school districts. That's led to some confusion. Should the guidance be more specific and strict?\" Stephanopoulos asked Fauci.

\"The guidance I think is pretty explicit there, George,\" Fauci responded, adding that school districts should implement social distancing, testing or enforce any guidelines recommended from the CDC that they see as fit to keep schools open and safe.

\"The bottom line is we need to get the children back in school, in-person classes in the fall,\" Fauci continued. \"But also to do it safely for the children.\"

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Politics/fauci-urges-people-put-politics-vaccinated-nasty-delta/story?id=78774860","legacySlug":"/news/story/fauci-urges-people-put-politics-vaccinated-nasty-delta-78774860","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"15:21","publishDate":"07-11-2021","updatedTime":"16:30","updatedDate":"07-11-2021","socialImage":{"alt":"Dr. Anthony Fauci speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing in Washington, May 11, 2021.","credit":"Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/this-week-anthony-fauci-01-gty-llr-210710_1625943311922_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"7/11/2021 15:21:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":78774860,"headline":"Put politics aside to get vaccine: Fauci","mediaAssetTitle":"FAUCI ON THIS WEEK","description":"\"We have got to get away from the divisiveness,\" Fauci said on ABC's \"This Week\"","duration":"7:38","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/07/210711_tw_fauci_1001_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132055565","131830882","130993584"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 8, 2026","headline":"Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","section":"News","slug":"/video/131830882","id":"131830882","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"March 12, 2026","headline":"Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","section":"News","slug":"/video/130993584","id":"130993584","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Put politics aside to get vaccine: Fauci","description":"\"We have got to get away from the divisiveness,\" Fauci said on ABC's \"This Week\"","duration":"7:38","uploadDate":"07-11-2021","publication":"07-11-2021","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/07/210711_tw_fauci_1001_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2021/07/210711_tw_fauci_1001_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/fauci-urges-people-put-politics-vaccinated-nasty-delta-78774860"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131142257","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131046664","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131048076","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131033212","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130999943","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130971027","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Put politics aside to get vaccine: Fauci","pubTime":"11:21","pubDate":"07-11-2021","modTime":"12:30","modDate":"07-11-2021","taxonomyTags":"none","id":78774860,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Put politics aside to get vaccine: Fauci","mediaAssetTitle":"FAUCI ON THIS WEEK","videoId":78774860,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/fauci-urges-people-put-politics-vaccinated-nasty-delta-78774860"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/78774860","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/78774860","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};