Individual responsibility may be at fault for the growing numbers of COVID-19 in sections of the United States, and Americans must start taking precautions to protect themselves and others from the disease, as the economy must be allowed to remain open, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Monday.
"The majority of new cases are under age 35, and many of them are asymptomatic," said Azar on "CBS This Morning." "Many of them are asymptomatic. We've got to get this under control, [as] those individuals can spread this disease, even unknowingly."
This means everyone must practice social distancing, wear masks when social distancing is impossible, and engage in appropriate personal hygiene, said Azar.
"Our situation is very different than it was two months ago," said Azar, noting that the administration has secured a half-million doses of remdesivir, the drug shown to be effective in treating hospitalized coronavirus patients.
"We will make sure the drug gets to the hospitals that most need it to take care of American patients," said Azar, adding that 40% of people with coronavirus infections are asymptomatic.
Meanwhile, he said that the nation must get back to work, school, and to their healthcare appointments, and noted that states that reopened at the same rates as those where COVID-19 cases are climbing have not seen similar outbreaks.
He also pointed out that in President Donald Trump's guidelines for reopening, the importance of masks and social distancing have always been stressed, but Americans must act responsibly, or "we're going to see governors pull back on those reopening. We have to all take personal responsibility because even within reopening, we have always said the president has said, practice social distancing ... if we don't act responsibly, we're going to see governors pull back on those reopenings."
However, Trump's situation concerning wearing a mask is "very different," Azar said.
"He's the most-tested person probably on Earth," said Azar. "Everybody is tested before they're with him ... he's in a very protective bubble."