Dr. Anthony Fauci addresses Silicon Valley leaders

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, spoke to business leaders in Silicon Valley Friday during a virtual conference.

It was part of an annual forum put on by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. Fauci discussed everything from the timeline for a COVID-19 vaccine, to an alarming spike in cases nationwide. 

Fauci believes a safe and effective vaccine is on the horizon, but he says we'll have to deal with a long and hard winter season first. He's worried that the cold will drive people indoors.

Fauci says universally wearing masks and continued social distancing will help. So will choosing outdoor activities over indoor when possible. 

"No one has an appetite to shut the country down again," says Fauci.

When it comes to a vaccine, Fauci says he's cautiously optimistic. There are six possiblities, five of which are in advanced trials.

"We should be able to get an inkling of whether or not we have a safe and effective vaccine sometime in mid to end of November, beginning of December," he says.

Best case scenario, he says, vaccine doses would be ready for the public by the end of this year or early next year, though it will take months to disseminate to everyone.

Santa Clara County health officials say they're already looking at logistics.

"What are the storage and handling requirements, do they need one dose or two? How far apart? It's a little different for each vaccine," said Dr. Sara Cody, Santa Clara County Health Officer.

Another component will be reaching out to frontline workers and underserved communities.

"We've got to get Black and Brown people vaccinated because they are among the most vulnerable," says Dr. Fauci.

"The messages need to come from within the community. So we have boots on the ground," says Dr. Marty Fenstersheib of the Santa Clara County Health Office.

Local officials say they're laying the groundwork now to make sure they're ready when the vaccine is.

"We're really at the forefront of research and technology here in Silicon Valley, but I think that the solutions needed are going to be those that address the underlying inequities," says Dr. Cody.

Fauci also wanted to reassure people that each vaccine trial is overseen by an independent safety monitoring board which does not answer to the pharmecutical companies nor the president.