Fauci says Americans should cancel New Year’s Eve plans

When asked for his advice "to people about larger settings for New Year's parties" after his remarks that it's "okay to be with friends and family if you're vaccinated and boosted," Fauci said "I would stay away from that."

"I mean, I have been telling people consistently that if you're vaccinated and boosted and you have a family setting home with family and relatives, but when you're talking about a New Year's Eve party," Fauci said, "where you have 30, 40 50 people celebrating, you do not know the status of the vaccination I would recommend strongly: Stay away from that this year. There will be other years to do that, but not this year."

Last year was also not the year for Fauci, when he told Americans to curb their celebrations and gatherings. That was before widespread use of vaccinations, and well before any indication that booster shots would be required as well before Americans could get their lives back.

Over the weekend, Fauci appeared on ABC's "This Week," and told Jonathan Karl that he would "welcome" the vaccine mandates for domestic flights in the US.

Fauci said that "anything that could get people more vaccinated would be welcome," including requiring passengers to show proof of vaccination to travel.

In October, Fauci said it was "too soon" to tell if families should gather for Christmas, then walked those comments back the next day.

Fauci said his remarks were "misinterpreted" and "taken completely out of context," and said the vaccinated could have a "good, normal Christmas."

"The best way to assure that we'll be in good shape as we get into the winter would be to get more and more people vaccinated," Fauci said.