Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former White House infectious disease expert who became a polarizing figure for his lockdown recommendations during the pandemic, faced Congress on Monday to address new revelations about the origin of COVID-19.
Transcripts released by House Republicans ahead of the hearing suggest that Dr. Fauci was unaware of any studies confirming that maintaining a six-foot distance from others could reduce the spread of infection. When questioned by an unnamed lawmaker about how the six-foot rule was communicated by the White House, Dr. Fauci said, “You know, I don’t recall. It just sort of appeared.” When asked if he knew of any supporting studies, he added, “I was not aware of any studies that — in fact, that would be a very difficult study to do.”
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Central to the criticism of lockdown measures were the impacts of masking and remote learning on children. Numerous studies have since shown these measures were detrimental to social and emotional development, as well as grade-level math and literacy skills. When asked about his recommendation to mask children, Dr. Fauci admitted he was not aware of any studies showing that masked children fared significantly better than their peers.
“But I believe there are a lot of conflicting studies too, that there are those that say, yes, there is an impact, and there are those that say there’s not. I still think that’s up in the air,” Fauci said.
After leaving the public sector, Dr. Fauci released an autobiography, earning him a $5 million advance and further elevating his profile as a medical expert who frequently clashed with former President Donald Trump during the pandemic. Celebrated by the left and criticized by the right, Fauci has faced backlash for mocking NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers and prioritizing his own ethos over organized religion. Last fall, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) announced plans to seek a criminal prosecution against him for allegedly lying to Congress while under oath.
Monday’s hearing, led by House Republicans on the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, was less confrontational than anticipated. Chairman Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) pressed Fauci for answers about the origins of COVID-19 without descending into hostility. Republicans are seeking confirmation that the lab leak hypothesis is “not a conspiracy theory,” according to CBS News. During a previous 14-hour closed-door testimony, Dr. Fauci stated that the pandemic “could be” the result of “a lab leak or it could be a natural occurrence,” though he believes the evidence points more towards a natural origin.
Questions about the pandemic’s origin remain unanswered as the Chinese government has refused to allow third-party investigators to audit the Wuhan lab, where the outbreak is believed to have started. Republicans have also scrutinized U.S. government funding at the lab and raised concerns about potential gain-of-function research aimed at enhancing diseases’ ability to infect animals or humans.
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