Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious diseases expert, explained Thursday during a open discussion with NBA player Steph Curry that the government “system” caused the delay in coronavirus testing, praising the private sector for stepping up and taking over.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was unable to keep up with the pace for the amount of tests necessary for effective COVID-19 testing, Dr. Fauci explained, suggesting the government simply cannot be expected to outperform the private sector in this regard.

“We have hundreds of thousands of tests that are out there now, mostly because we got the private sector involved, of the companies who know how to make it well, make large amounts,” the doctor told Curry, explaining the initial lag in testing.

Later in the stream, Curry again pressed Dr. Fauci on what exactly was holding up the COVID-19 testing. “What are the things inhibiting those [the tests] being accessible to the masses?” he asked.

“Well, there should be nothing now that’s inhibiting it,” Fauci responded. “But originally, the system, the way it was set up, Steph, was not geared to this kind of massive capability of instantaneously, safely getting a test, getting it done in a really good period of time – not days and days, but hours.”

“Right now, the system is changed, predominately because it’s being handed over to the commercial firms who know how to do it,” the doctor continued. “It started off as a public health measure from the CDC, it now needs to be, and is being handed of to, the commercial group.”

Dr. Fauci has had a key role in advising President Donald Trump on the China-originated novel coronavirus, and keeping the public informed, that is, when news organizations allow the vital Trump press briefings to be played on their platforms.

Unfortunately, the media have been trying to drive a wedge between the doctor and Trump, at least that’s what Fauci has suggested.

“I would wish that that would stop because we have a much bigger problem here than trying to point out differences,” Fauci stressed during a radio interview Tuesday, The Daily Wire noted. “When I have made recommendations, he’s [Trump] taken them; he’s never countered or overridden me; the idea of pitting one against the other is just not helpful. I wish that would stop and we’d look ahead at the challenge we have to pull together to get over this thing.”

During the same interview, Fauci praised the president for his move to implement a limited travel ban from China and then Europe, though the move was criticized from some on the Left, including presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden.

“In moments like this, this is where the credibility of a president is most needed, as he explains what we should and should not do,” Biden blasted Trump at the time. “This is no time for Donald Trump’s record of hysteria and xenophobia, hysterical xenophobia, to uh, and fear mongering,”

WATCH:

Dr. Fauci: Govt testing system was inadequate, private sector made difference "Hundreds of thousands of tests are out there now..because we got private sector involved "The system is changed predominately because it's being handed over to commercial firms who know how to do it" pic.twitter.com/sKILn8woEZ — Elizabeth Harrington (@LizRNC) March 27, 2020

You can watch the full discussion below: