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Fauci told lawmakers “we need to be careful” that scientists prove a potential vaccine is safe and effective before its distributed to the public. 

“I would be very disappointed if we jumped to a conclusion before we knew that a vaccine was truly safe and truly effective, because I wouldn’t want the perpetual ambiguity of not knowing whether it is truly safe and truly effective,” he said. 

Scientists say they are still learning about key aspects of the virus, including how immune systems respond once a person is exposed. The answers, they say, may have large implications for vaccine development, including how quickly it can be deployed to the public.

A recent study published in Nature Medicine found coronavirus antibodies may last only two to three months after a person becomes infected with Covid-19. Researchers examined 37 asymptomatic people, those who never developed symptoms, in the Wanzhou District of China. They compared their antibody response to that of 37 people with symptoms. 

Fauci reiterated Tuesday that scientists don’t know how long people are protected after a coronavirus infection.

“It’s likely you are protected, but we don’t know how long you are protected,” he said.

Black Americans are disproportionately getting sick and dying from the coronavirus. Black people constitute nearly 13% of the U.S. population but made up 23% of all Covid-19 deaths as of June 3, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

During the hearing, Fauci was asked by Rep. Bobby Rush, a Democrat from Illinois, whether institutional racism contributed to the disproportionate impact the virus has had on Black Americans. The infectious disease expert said, “yes.”

“The African-American community has suffered from racism for a very, very long period of time,” he said. “And I cannot imagine that that has not contributed to the conditions that they find themselves in economically and otherwise, so the answer, congressman, is yes.”

He was also asked about U.S. Covid-19 deaths overall. While cases and hospitalizations are on the rise, deaths appear to be on the decline. Fauci told lawmakers that deaths lag behind cases and hospitalizations.

It’s possible deaths could go up as more people go to the hospital, he said.