Dr. Fauci Contradicts Trump, Shuts Down Hydrochloroquine and Encourages Mask Wearing in CNN Appearance
Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci used a new interview on the coronavirus to advise against hydroxychloroquine and urge people to wear face masks in public — two pieces of advice that run counter to recent messaging from President Donald Trump.
In an interview with CNN’s Jim Sciutto, the White House coronavirus task force member was asked for his thoughts on France’s ban on hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for Covid-19. This comes after several days of controversy over Trump’s claim that he took the drug despite the administration’s warnings about its health risks and its unproven capacity as a coronavirus preventative.
In terms of whether the U.S. should also ban the drug as a Covid-19 treatment, Fauci pushed back on the idea, but added “the scientific data is really quite evident now about the lack of efficacy for it and even the possibility that there could be — not could be, but the likelihood — that under certain circumstances, might be rare, but you would see it: adverse events.”
After that, Sciutto asked Fauci “In your view, does it make a difference to encourage [mask-wearing] when public servants set an example by wearing a mask as you often do when you appear in public?”
Fauci’s answer:
I think we should be recommending it. As you know, I wear it whenever I’m outside. We can try and keep the usual distance, but sometimes it is out of your control. So there are some fundamental things that we can do, we’re very aware of and sensitive to the need to try and make those steps towards reopening. But there are certain things that you can do and still do as you reopen. One is wearing a mask. The other is avoiding crowds of more than ten people, depending upon where you are and where the dynamics of the outbreak are. The other is continuing to wash your hands, which is important. And those kinds of things are simple. They’re easy to do. I think one can do that at the same time as you gradually try to get to the point of doing the reopening. I think those are the things that everybody should seriously consider doing.
That answer runs against messaging from the president, who has resisted wearing a mask in public and mocked his 2020 rival Joe Biden for doing so on Memorial Day.
Fauci went on by continuing his argument that masks are an “effective” way to prevent the virus from spreading, and “I want to make it be a symbol for people to see that’s the kind of thing you should be doing.”
Watch above, via CNN.
