‘I wouldn’t say it’s the politics. I think it’s the different evaluation of what’s right for a particular community,’ Fauci told MSNBC on Monday.

‘When you use the word politics, I’m not sure it’s that. I just think at the local level, there’s a strong feeling of needing to get back to normality.’

He added: ‘Now, if you look at the science of it, I mean the direction is going in the right direction. Are we there yet in every single place throughout the country? I don’t believe so. But there are some places that are looking at what the trajectory is, and are saying let’s go with it.’