White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said he would never be “muzzled” when discussing facts about the coronavirus.
His statement comes after a report claims that a Trump administration official is trying to “muzzle” him.
“I would never be muzzled about anything when it comes to science and evidence and the facts,” Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Fox News.
Earlier Wednesday, a report published by Politico stated that Paul Alexander, an official at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is preventing Dr. Fauci from discussing the risks that Covid-19 poses to children. Alexander, an official appointed by the Trump administration, allegedly told press officers and other staff about what Dr. Fauci must present during media interviews, according to emails obtained by Politico.
CNBC requested for comment from HHS, but it was not able to immediately give one.
Dr. Fauci's views
Dr. Fauci has become controversial for his statements regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, especially those that are at odds with President Donald Trump's.
He said that a coronavirus vaccine will not be ready before the US election.
Dr. Fauci’s comment came after the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) urges states to prepare the distribution facilities by November 1.
Dr. Fauci told the audience of Research! America 2020 National Health Research Forum that it is more likely a coronavirus vaccine will be available by “the end of the year” as drug manufacturers Moderna and Pfizer race to fulfill patient enrollment for their late-stage clinical trials by the end of September.
“It’s unlikely we’ll have a definitive answer” by the US election, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said during the health conference.
His statements do not match President Donald Trump’s. Trump said at a press conference Monday that a Covid-19 vaccine could be ready for distribution by Election Day.
Dr. Fauci previously expressed his disappointment over the number of daily Covid-19 cases in the US.
Daily coronavirus cases in the US are “unacceptably high,” according to him.
“We know from prior experience as you get into the holiday weekend, the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, there’s a tendency of people to be careless somewhat with regard to the public health measures,” Dr. Fauci said.
“I want to use this opportunity to almost have a plea to the people in this country to realize that we really still need to get our arms around this and to suppress these types of surges we’ve seen,” he added.
Moreover, he expressed uncertainty over producing a highly effective vaccine, saying the chances are slim.
There is little chance that scientists can develop a highly effective vaccine, one that can provide 98% or more guaranteed protection, according to Dr. Fauci.
“The chances of it being 98% effective is not great, which means you must never abandon the public health approach,” he said during a Q&A with the Brown University School of Public Health.
“You’ve got to think of the vaccine as a tool to be able to get the pandemic to no longer be a pandemic, but to be something that’s well controlled,” he noted.
