Dr. Anthony Fauci said states hit by a wave of new coronavirus cases should consider shutting down.
His comments came Wednesday during an interview on a Wall Street Journal podcast.
"Any state that is having a serious problem, that state should seriously look at shutting down,” said Fauci, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. “It's not for me to say because each state is different."
Fauci said the task force has been “in contact frequently” with governors and mayors in those states.
Asked how the full pandemic could be brought under control, Fauci said: “We have to just tighten things up."
He mentioned closing bars, making sure people wear masks, keeping their social distances from others, and not congregating in crowds.
“If you do those simple, public health measures, I guarantee you are going to see that curve come down,” he said.
Last month, Fauci noted the U.S is “going in the wrong direction” in its effort to contain the coronavirus. And he said new cases of COVID-19 could increase to 100,000 a day.