Name: May 1 is 'a target' for reopening the US, but too early to tell: FDA commissioner | ABC News
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Anthony Fauci says we could see an antibody test soon, which could detect immunity.

And how soon will the FDA commissioner approved them for use?

FDA Commissioner Dr Stephen Han joins us now.

I want to start with the latest models which are projecting that the U.

Peak in terms of daily deaths would likely be today.

The president citing models that he said show Easter as hitting the top of the curve and then starting to come down.

And does this mean the worst may have passed?

Martha, thank you for having me on the show.

Uh, so, um, the the models do show that we're very close to the peak, and so I think that information is accurate.

This has been a very fast moving outbreak, and so we really have to take this day by day.

We have some of the best experts in the world, Dr Fauci, Dr.

Burke's on this, and so I think that information is accurate.

But again, we have to take this day by day as the day to come in because this has to be a day to demand driven approach.

And, of course, the president had initially said today is a target date for reopening the country.

But there are new warning signs about opening the country.

Even by May 1st, The New York Times obtained new federal projection showing a spike in infections if restrictions were lifted.

And the model the White House often cites predicts a death toll of 60,000 on Lee.

If full social distancing is kept in place through the end of May, so wouldn't we be taking a big risk relaxing those measures now?

Those are obviously the issues that are going into the the assessment of When is the right time to go back?

I think the public safety and the welfare of the American people has to come first.

That's been the constant message from the president, the vice president and within the task force itself.

So that has to ultimately drive these decisions.

I've heard from friends and colleagues around the world that people really do want to get back to a more normal life than what we've had the last several weeks.

We have to look at what we know about this illness, what's happened in other countries and put them into the situation to the the plan Moving forward.

So, given what you know, Counsel Sorry, sir.

Given, given what you know is may 1st a good target.

When you look at it now, Martha, it is a target.

Um, and obviously we're hopeful about that target, but I think it's just too early to be able to tell that we see light at the end of the tunnel.

Fauci, Dr Burke's have said that we see the incredible resiliency of the American people with respect to social distancing, hand washing and all those mitigation factors.

But I think it's just too early for us to say whether may 1st is that date.

But more to come on that as we learn more information and as our planning proceeds, and on Thursday, the president suggested widespread testing isn't necessary.

And here's what he said about sending people back to work in states with lower density.

There's not a lot of issues with testing certain sections of the We Goto Iowa.

They're very, very capable states and their big distances, lot of land.

More than 2/3 of rural counties have confirmed cases, So how can Americans safely return to work without a nationwide testing system?

Martha this There are a lot of factors that will go into this.

One is the geographic location, the number of tests, the number of people who've been infected.

If you look at the testing where it is right now, the strategic approach has been to focus that testing in the hot spot areas where if people come forward in our sick, as many as 30 to 40% test positive.

Whereas in other areas where there aren't a lot of sick people and some of those are rural areas, it's less than 5%.

So our strategy moving forward for opening up the country has to take all of those factors into account and and yes, further ramping up Testing both diagnostic as well as the antibody test will really be necessary as we move beyond main into the summer months and then into the fall.

K Germany, South Korea have been able to do testing of millions of people, are we still so far behind over?

It was over a week ago that the Abbott test a rapid test was FDA approved.

This is preventing people from going back to work, getting out of quarantine.

When exactly will it be available in every major city in the U.

So, Martha, this is a pretty complicated situation, and it's rapidly moving on, and that's to not to suggest anything other than there's certainly pressure on the supply chain in terms of getting supplies we have heard on.

I personally have heard from people on the ground that in some areas it's very easy to get a test and in other areas not, and we have to really is a whole of U.

I have to make sure that we get those testing to the areas that need them, and again, it's been a strategic approach.

Burke's Dr Fauci and The Podium on Friday mentioned that we've done over two million tests, which is more than any other country.

Now we need to doom or no question about that.

And I want to get to those antibody test.

Factory said we're just days away from being able to use antibody tests, which can detect whether somebody has already been exposed to it and may have immunity.

Do you expect the FDA to validate those tests for use in the coming days?

So FDA has already authorized one antibody test.

There are a number that are on the market that we haven't validated, that we haven't looked at those data.

Government effort toe Look at some of those tests and to be, uh, be able Thio allow that validation to occur.

We're working with a number of really good manufacturers.

They've come forward with their platforms.

And so we do expect that relatively soon again.

This is dependent upon the data and the science because it's got to be that decision.

And Martha just have put a point on this.

We've seen reports, other countries, some of the countries you mentioned that have obtained antibody tests that aren't accurate.

I think it's really important for the American people to know that we need tests that are accurate, reliable and reproducible.

That's what FDA does in a science and data driven way.

And if someone does have these antibodies, do you believe they can safely return to work?

Is this really the key, these antibody tests of getting this country on its feet again?

It's one of the keys on, and I think, as both Dr Brooks and Dr Fauci said at the podium on Friday, it's one of the factors that will go into this, including the underlying characteristics of the person you know, whether they're more susceptible to a more serious outcome from Cove in 19 where they live, what the prevalence of the disease is in the environment and whether they've had a diagnostic test that's positive, previously or not.

So all of those factors will go into it on, including whether you have antibodies, because that should be protective.