Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, with Vice President Mike Pence behind him, speaks during a briefing about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Sunday, March 15, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump got bashed by some in the media the other day for suggesting there was light at the end of the tunnel. Apparently some media just can’t take it and have to stomp on any hopeful signs.

But now, Dr. Anthony Fauci appears to be saying it, too, and it’s going to be harder for them to step on him saying it.

During an interview on Fox News’ America’s Newsroom, Fauci signaled that the country may be rounding the corner on the virus.

WATCH: "There's been a stabilization and a decrease in the hospitalizations, admission to intensive care and the requirements for intubations,"- Dr. Anthony Fauci updates on the battle to contain the coronavirus outbreak #nine2noon pic.twitter.com/aIUS8WlOnj

— America's Newsroom (@AmericaNewsroom) April 8, 2020

The models continue to be revised down, going from over 200,000 t0 80,000 to now 60,000 deaths, as my colleague Bonchie reported.

Is that because the models were wrong or because of social distancing? Fauci pretty much said a bit of both; that as they had more factual data come in, so actual facts trump the models which were initially based on European numbers and responses. But he said he also believed that social distancing was working. He noted we were already seeing a flattening in New York, that while it was going to be a bad week for deaths, the new cases and hospitalizations were reducing. He was still pushing the social distancing, claiming now was not the time to let up.

But if it’s really about 60,000 that’s getting it down into a bad flu year sort of estimate and the problem with Fauci’s response is that the models already had the social distancing baked into them, dependent upon staying home through May. So it’s hard to argue that because of social distancing the models are revised down. Unless perhaps they didn’t predict that accurately by huge measures as well.

Fauci also noted that in the hopper will be thinking about how we will be reopening at a point in the future to best limit the spread.

His words may have made the stock market happy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 779.71 points, or 3.4%, to close at 23,433.57, in a big turnaround.

HT: Twitchy