KAISER HEALTH NEWS – Dr. Anthony Fauci is set to step down after 38 years as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
During his final White House briefing appearance he lamented that politics have divided people on covid vaccines and said he would testify at hearings planned by House Republicans when they take control next term.
Politico: Fauci Bids Farewell With A Final Plea: Get Vaccinated
Anthony Fauci, the president’s chief Covid-19 adviser, offered Americans one final warning as he prepares to leave government, ending a tumultuous turn in the national spotlight that earned him enduring affection from some and unrelenting hostility from others.
“Please, for your own safety, for that of your family, get your updated Covid-19 shot as soon as you’re eligible to protect yourself, your family and your community,” Fauci said. (Mahr and Cancryn, 11/22)
The Hill: Fauci Makes Final Appearance In White House Briefing Room
“I’ll let other people judge the value or not of my accomplishments, but what I would like people to remember about what I’ve done, is that every day, for all of those years, I’ve given it everything that I have and I’ve never left anything on the field,” Fauci said of his legacy. (Mueller, 11/22)
Reuters: Fauci Pleads With Americans To Get COVID Shot In Final White House Briefing
After 13 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines given worldwide, Fauci said, there is “clearly an extensive body of information” that indicates that they are safe. “When I see people in this country because of the divisiveness in our country … not getting vaccinated for reasons that have nothing to do with public health, but have to do because of divisiveness and ideological differences, as a physician, it pains me,” Fauci said. (Holland and Hunnicutt, 11/22)
The Washington Post: Fauci Urges Updated Coronavirus Shots In ‘Final Message’ From White House
At one point, Fauci acknowledged how those who wear masks are often singled out, joking with a reporter: “I mean, you’re absolutely right. I mean, I know sometimes when you walk in and you have a mask and nobody has a mask, you kind of feel guilty. You shouldn’t feel guilty. You look terrific, right?” (Scott, 11/22)
USA Today: Dr. Fauci Signs Off, Vows To Cooperate In GOP House Hearings
His departure will conclude 54 years at the institute and 38 years as director. “I gave it all I got for many decades,” said Fauci, who has been lauded by the health community but made a top target by Republicans for restrictions he pushed to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
House Republicans, who are poised to take control of the chamber in the next Congress, have vowed to investigate Fauci as part of a slew of investigations into the Biden administration. “If there are oversight hearings, I absolutely will cooperate fully and testify before Congress,” Fauci said. (Garrison and Morin, 11/22)
CNBC: Fauci Says He Never Imagined Covid Would Kill A Million Americans
Dr. Anthony Fauci on Tuesday reflected on the U.S. response to the Covid-19 pandemic in what was likely his last public briefing as the nation’s top infectious disease expert. Nearly three years after Covid-19 first arrived on America’s shores, Fauci said he never imagined the pandemic would last so long and take so many lives.
“I did not imagine and I don’t think any of my colleagues imagined that we would see a three-year saga of suffering and death and a million Americans losing their lives,” Fauci, 81, told reporters during a Covid update at the White House. (Kimball, 11/22)
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