As the United States moves closely toward 500,000 COVID-19 deaths, Dr. Anthony Fauci says the world needs a “universal COVID-19 vaccine” that covers all mutations of the virus.

"We got hit with three in 18 years that have been either pandemic or pandemic potential, so shame on us if we don't develop the universal coronavirus vaccine," he said during an interview hosted by Georgetown University.

Despite the rise of COVID-19 variants and the fear they will cancel out progress made against the pandemic, virus cases, deaths and hospitalizations are on the decline.

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Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, said this week that there has been a five-week decline in COVID-19 cases, “with cases decreasing 69% in the seven-day average since hitting a peak on Jan. 11.”

“The current seven-day average of approximately 77,000 cases is the lowest reported since the end of October, but still higher than the height of last summer's peak," she said.

While touring Pfizer's vaccine plant Friday, President Joe Biden shared his goal of when he would like to see life return to normal.

"I believe we'll be approaching normalcy by the end of this year and, God-willing, this Christmas will be different than last – but I can't make that commitment to you. There are other strains of the virus."

The vaccination effort could be getting a boost soon. On Friday, Feb. 26, the FDA will consider Johnson and Johnson's vaccine for emergency use authorization in the U.S.

The company is promising to deliver 100 million doses of its single-dose vaccine to the U.S. by the end of June.