Unvaccinated Americans could spark a fifth wave of COVID-19, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who says he is opposed by those who feel his science-based truth is “inconvenient“ for them.
America is currently undergoing an ebb in cases from the spike that took place as the delta variant of the coronavirus spread, infecting vaccinated as well as unvaccinated people. Fauci, however, said his focus is on only one group of Americans:
“The problem is, as we all know, we still have approximately 66 million people who are eligible to be vaccinated who are not vaccinated,” Fauci said during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”
“The degree to which we continue to come down in that slope will depend on how well we do about getting more people vaccinated. If we don’t do very well in that regard, there’s always the danger that there will be enough circulating virus that you can have a stalling of the diminishing of the number of cases,” he said.
“And when that happens, as we’ve seen in the past with other waves that we’ve been through, there’s the danger of resurgence,” he said.
“But we can do something about that. That’s the whole point that we keep emphasizing. The more people we get vaccinated, the less likelihood is there going to be another surge as we go into the winter,” he said.
During the interview, host Chris Wallace asked Fauci about the way in which he morphed from becoming a voice of authority on COVID-19 into a highly divisive figure.
“Why do you think you have become so controversial? And, honestly, do you think that there’s anything you have done that has contributed to that?” Wallace asked.
“Well, I’m not so sure I could answer the latter because I can’t think of anything, but I’m sure some people will,” he said.
Fauci then equated himself with scientific truth.
“But, you know, Chris, I have stood — always making science, data, and evidence be what we guide ourselves by,” he said.
“And I think people who feel differently, who have conspiracy theories, who deny reality that’s looking them straight in the eye, those are people that don’t particularly care for me,” he said.
Fauci said that was “understandable because what I do and I try very hard is to be guided by the truth. And sometimes, the truth becomes inconvenient for some people, so they react against me. That just is what it is. There’s not much I can do about that, Chris.”
As he made the rounds of talk shows, Fauci gave his blessing to family gatherings for the holidays — that is, if everyone is vaccinated.
Can we, Dr. Fauci, your eminence? Oh, thank you so much! Can I also enjoy the holidays with my friends – not just my family? Should I require proof of vaccination? How can I tell the difference between a valid card and an invalid one?
— Mark Warfield (@mark2796) October 17, 2021
Fauci also insisted that despite the Biden White House calling for booster shots long before any medical experts supported the idea, science — not politics — was in the driver’s seat.
He pushed back against Wallace on Fox when Wallace asked, “Has the politics of giving boosters gotten ahead of the actual public health?”
“Well, you know, Chris, I’m not so sure the politics got … ahead of it,” Fauci said, later adding, “So, I don’t think there’s any political issue there. I think it’s just public health data and evidence.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.