Dr. Fauci Dismisses Tucker Carlson’s Suggestion that Vaccines Don’t Work: ‘Just a Typical Crazy Conspiracy Theory’
Dr. Anthony Fauci pushed back on Tucker Carlson after the Fox News host dangerously suggested Tuesday night that Covid-19 vaccines might not work. “That is just a typical crazy conspiracy theory,” Fauci dismissed before asking, rhetorically “Why would we not tell people if it doesn’t work? Look at the data.”
Following news that the FDA has called on a pause of the J&J vaccination, Carlson suggested that the real reason public health officials are still advising vaccinated people to be cautious is that the vaccines don’t work “and they’re simply not telling you that.”
“We’ve heard an awful lot about the coronavirus vaccine over the last several months. It’s a massive achievement as a scientific matter, something all Americans can be proud of, but that’s not the context in which we’ve heard about it,” Carlson said. “I think of myself as pretty pro-vaccine,” told viewers on his show Tuesday night, “We’re not against it on principle. Like almost every American, we’re grateful for vaccines, but before we take this one, a few questions about it, about this specific vaccine.”
CNN’s New Day anchor John Berman introduced Carlson’s comment not by airing the clip, but by reading his comments for Fauci to reply, asking “What do you have to say to Tucker Carlson?”
“That’s just a typical crazy conspiracy theory. Why wouldn’t we tell people it works. Look at the data,” Fauci dismissed.
“The data is overwhelming in the three vaccines used in an emergency use and emergency use authorization, the J&J, Pfizer, and Moderna, you had 30,000, 44,000, and 40,000 people in the clinical trial with an overwhelming signal efficacy,” he explained. “So I don’t have any idea what he’s talking about.”
Berman followed by asking “How dangerous it is for a TV personality like that who does have an audience of millions to speculate like that?”
“Well, it’s certainly not helpful to the public health of this nation or globally,” Fauci dispassionately replied. “I don’t want to get into arguments about Tucker Carlson, but to me, it’s counter to trying to protect the safety and health of the American public.”
Watch above via CNN.
