“This is not a major threat to the people of the United States and this is not something that the citizens of the United States should be worried about right now,” Dr. Fauci told Newsmax’s Greg Kelly on January 21.
"It isn't something the American public needs to worry about or be frightened about, because we have ways of preparing and screening of people coming in [from China]," National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Anthony Fauci told "The Cats Roundtable" on 970 AM-N.Y., per The Hill.
January 26
Fauci doesn't want people to worry about coronavirus, the danger of which is "just minuscule." But he does want them to take precautions against the "influenza outbreak, which is having its second wave." February 17- USA Today
FAUCI: No.
Right now at this moment, there is no need to change anything that you’re doing on a day-by-day basis. Right now the risk is still low, but this could change. I’ve said that many times, even on this program. You got watch out, because although the risk is low now, you don’t need to change anything you’re doing. When you start to see community spread, this could change, and force you to become much more attentive to doing things that would protect you from spread. Today Show 2-29
“If you are a healthy young person, there is no reason if you want to go on a cruise ship, go on a cruise ship.” White House press conference March 9.
Douglas Jones
Ooltewah
* * *
“Anybody that wants a test can get a test. That’s what the bottom line is”--President Trump March 6, 2020.
Steve Perry
Chattanooga
* * *
I totally agree with Mr. Jones' paraphrased article by Dr. Fauci and want to add some statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"At least 14,000 people have died and 250,000 have already been hospitalized during the 2019-2020 flu season, according to estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 26 million Americans have fallen ill with flu-like symptoms."
In other words, you are more likely to contract and die from influenza than COVID-19. So why all the pandemonium and fear from this virus? A lot stems from the fact that we have had vaccines for influenza for decades but there is not one for COVID-19. Government officials ignoring experts like Dr. Fauci and Internet propaganda through social media such as Facebook and Google have caused unnecessary fear and panic. The two social media outlets are putting stop gap measures in place very soon.
We have to stop this insanity and put people back to work. If the economy and unemployment get any worse, nothing else really matters. Congress and the Senate are on recess while businesses desperately need support and people need to go about daily life and back to work.
Jack Varner
* * *
"If the economy and unemployment get any worse, nothing else really matters." Really? Death doesn't really matter? If you return to work, come down with COVID-19 and die, it doesn't really matter. I guess that is a matter of perspective. If it's me it really matters!
I agree that we have had 24 million cases of flu and 14,000 deaths this flu season which started in September. We have now had 540,000 cases of coronavirus and 24,000 deaths. However, the first coronavirus death was in Washington state on Feb. 29. That's just over six weeks ago! Obviously, COVID-19 is highly contagious and much more dangerous.
Both Hong Kong and Singapore restarted their economies after the initial outbreak subsided and had a second wave of the disease that was worse than the first. We need to be very deliberative about restarting our economy. Death in large numbers can be numbing. Death on an individual basis is real personal!
Ken Baker
* * *
Cherry picking quotes is always interesting. I link here a review of 1918 pandemic written by NIH staff. Read it and draw your own conclusions. All of this historical account is replaying medical leaders leading, political infighting, and strong man machinations.
Mother Nature really hates humans right now, and she loves a weakness. Collectively, we are giving her our best shot at that.
Prentice Hicks
* * *
It would be a lie if I said that some of these responses are astonishing. To ignore a pandemic (see definition) or minimize it is ignorant at best and criminal at worst.
Dr. Fauci has been doing his job for decades and through several presidents...of both parties. He has no reason to placate any of them if he’s doing his job correctly. Apparently he is since he’s still there.
A doctor’s job is to tell you what you need to hear based upon the information available. At the time that these cherry-picked quotes were made, he was basing those statements on an assumption that widespread testing was available or soon would be. He wasn’t the only one that was deceived was he?
Once it became apparent that the federal response was woefully inadequate, impossibly overconfident, and not based in reality, Dr. Fauci began to deliver solid information to an unwilling listener in the President. I praise Dr. Fauci for recognizing it is his job to give us, the American people, a voice of controlled reason that neither lies nor sugarcoats facts and without regard to placating the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. What a refreshing difference to hear a voice of solid intelligence, experience, and truth. He has so much respect for the office of the president that he takes the criticism that he does not deserve and absorbs it. He then does it again the next day, and the next.
His audience of one has not ever owned a mistake. I suspect that’s a tough audience. When history writes this account in our chapter 2020, the differences in his leadership and the president will be obvious. One will read history and the other is furiously rewriting it minute by minute. And incidentally, were the small letter after the president’s name a d instead of an r, those castigating Fauci today would be his biggest fans. I’m so discouraged that so many apply the lens of politics to everything which makes it impossible to see truth. And that may be an illness that lasts longer than this pandemic.
Todd Rudolph
* * *
I agree with Mr. Baker and Mr. Rudolph in their rebuttals to the article Anthony Fauci in his own words. I enjoy reading the opinion articles from everyday folks and while I agree with some I am also disturbed by some who really upset me with their words.
I too, believe that this virus is a serious crisis that our country as a whole needs to adhere to and help defeat it. But, the remarks by the author of this article and one more upsets me because of their remarks concerning Dr. Fauci and how important getting our economy back to its past state. Dr. Fauci is highly respected in the medical community and statements he made early in this crisis do not need to be misconstrued, he was working with the facts that were available at the time but still offered a word of caution. His previous statements in no way reflect a medical professional who has no idea what they are talking about. He deals in facts and research only.
This is not unlike our president who assumes the role of See-All, Knows-All overseer of the daily coronavirus briefings and consumes it with his political statements and videos. The health professionals and cabinet members hardly have a chance to present their findings and opinions relating to this pandemic. And to mention as one citizen implied that the economy must get back at all costs, when this virus could get many times worse due to the lessening of social distancing just to revive the economy is unbelievable.
My friends and family are worth more to me than anything economy related in this world. The Texas lieutenant governor and one senator have said the loss of life is a cost to pay to revive our economy. If it was their parents, children, relatives or close friends that was lost due to this virus I suppose they would have a different outlook. We just must pray to our Lord above and practice the advice and recommendations of our health professionals and we will exit this pandemic sooner than later.
Clifton W. Duggan