NIAID director Anthony Fauci told MarketWatch Saturday he won't get on a plane nor eat at restaurants due to the current state of the coronavirus pandemic.

The big picture: States are figuring out how to mitigate cases without completely halting their economies. But for the past two months, many are seeing cases and hospitalizations rise.

What he's saying: "I am in a risk category," Fauci said. "I don’t like to admit it, but I’m 79 years old. I can’t think of a reason to go trans-Atlantic. Right now, I’m very sequestered. I’m on a coronavirus task force. I go to the White House almost every day."

• "I don’t fancy seeing myself getting infected, which is a risk when you’re getting on a plane, particularly with the amount of infection that’s going on right now," he said.