Dr. Anthony Fauci has admitted there is a lack of evidence that wearing masks has stopped the spread of Covid – a far cry from his strong belief early in the pandemic that the mandate would curb the surge in certain cases.
The former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 82, was branded the country’s Covid czar for strongly recommending the wearing of face coverings and social distancing in public.
Back in April 2020, he told anxious Americans, “If everyone does this, we protect each other.” Because it’s data, it’s more efficient to prevent transmission to others than to prevent transmission to yourself.”
People had to wear masks in schools, public transport, restaurants and workplaces.
But after a series of leaked emails and interviews since the height of the pandemic, Fauci has been criticized for wavering in his beliefs as he admitted there was a lack of evidence that they had worked to stop the spread of the virus .
Dr. Fauci, 82, was known as the country’s Covid czar – and during the pandemic he strongly recommended wearing face coverings. But he has been criticized for wavering in his beliefs, admitting there is a lack of evidence to suggest they have helped stop the spread of the virus
He recently told CNN: “When you talk about the impact on the epidemic or the pandemic as a whole, the data is less meaningful.”
“But there are also other studies that show at the individual level that they may be protective.”
The former health chief was responding to questions about a study by Tom Jefferson, a senior tutor at the University of Oxford, whose research concluded that “there is simply no evidence that they – masks – make a difference.”
‘Point.’
Fauci’s admission that the population-level data is “less meaningful” comes as New Yorkers are being told to consider a mask requirement this Labor Day weekend amid concerns about rising Covid cases and have two new variants.
A spokesperson for the New York Department of Health told that wearing a mask in crowded indoor spaces this weekend could be a “good idea” when people are expected to gather in large groups over the holidays.
However, they also expressed that “nothing has changed in the guidelines” and that the city currently has no plans to introduce a mask requirement.
New York City is currently experiencing a surge in Covid cases and hospitalizations caused by the virus.
The latest data suggests that the city’s infection rate was around 18 cases per 100,000 residents as of August 29 – although this is likely an underestimate as few people are now testing for the virus.
Hospital admissions are also increasing: on August 31, 502 patients with Covid were admitted to the city’s hospitals.
Fauci’s admission that the population-level data is “less meaningful” comes as New Yorkers are being told to consider a mask requirement this Labor Day weekend amid concerns about rising Covid cases and have two new variants
People wear protective masks as they walk in front of luxury retail stores on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills on May 19, 2020
During the pandemic, people have been required to wear masks on public transportation and airplanes
This means an increase of five percent compared to the previous week. However, it is still well below this year’s peak of almost 2,000 patients in hospital.
Last summer, Fauci said in an interview with CBS that he had no regrets about his advice regarding mask requirements during the pandemic.
He said: “I don’t regret anything I said then because in the context of the time I said it, it was right.”
“We were told in our task force meetings that we have a serious problem with shortages of PPE and masks for the health care providers who put themselves in danger every day to care for sick people.”
In December 2021, Fauci told the public that he could not imagine an end to mask-wearing on airplanes: “Even if you have a good filtration system, I still believe that masks are a smart thing and that we should do it.”
Already in December 2022, Dr. Fauci acknowledged that there is some “fatigue” with COVID-19 regulations, even as cases begin to rise in the winter months.
Speaking to Fox 5 New York, Fauci said local health authorities should be the ones deciding on COVID restrictions, but he is aware that people “don’t like being told what to do.”
“You want people to use good judgment to protect themselves and their families,” he told Good Day New York. But “you’re tired of having mandates.” “People don’t like being told what to do.”
However, he added that if there is a rise in infections “followed by a rise in hospitalizations, you want to make sure you do something to address that.”