Dr. Fauci talks protests, second wave & threats to his family

BETHESDA, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - FOX 5’s Lindsay Watts spoke to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in a wide-ranging interview.

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PROTESTS

Dr. Fauci said he hopes not to see a spike in coronavirus cases due to nationwide protests, but there is considerable risk it will happen.

“I think if we don’t see a spike, it says that we’re lucky, to be honest with you,”
Fauci said. “Because we know for sure that crowded places and the spread of infection are related.”

He said we likely won’t know the full impact of the protests on the spread of the virus for two to three weeks.

He recommends demonstrators wear a mask and keep it on.

Some who get coronavirus will never show symptoms, and while the World Health Organization said Monday that it’s rare for people without symptoms to spread the virus, Fauci said there is evidence that asymptomatic people can spread infection.

SECOND WAVE

“A second wave isn’t inevitable,” said Fauci. “It’s only inevitable if you don’t respond to the infections when they do occur. Because we certainly will get new infections in the fall, it’s how we respond to them that will determine whether or not we do get a second wave.”

He said it’s imperative to have appropriate testing and contact tracing, but that we have greatly improved on those fronts and he expects that to continue.

BACK TO NORMAL

Many of us continue to wonder when we’ll truly be truly back to normal-when we can stop wearing masks, eat at restaurants indoors and attend crowded concerts and sporting events.

“I think it could at least be a cycle or two of seasons,” said Fauci. “I don’t think we’re going to be back to normal this winter. I don’t think we’re going to be back to normal. I think the economy will return. I think that people will be going back to work. That unemployment will get better, but it will be in the context of being more careful.”

THREATS

There has been plenty of misinformation spread about the virus and Fauci has been linked to conspiracy theories. He says he and his family have been threatened.

“It isn’t conspiracy theories that bother me and my family-it’s the threats that we get from the deep dark web as it were,”
said Fauci. “Which is really a crazy bunch of people who get their kicks out of making threats to people’s life and safety and harassing people‘s children and their wives and their families.”

FAME

Along with the ugliness of increased attention, Fauci has become a household name and has many fans. One being actress Julia Roberts who recently interviewed him and called him a “personal hero.” Fauci Pouchy cocktails are named after him and Brad Pitt played Fauci on Saturday Night Live. Some have even called him a sex symbol.

“I don’t take anything like that seriously, you know that nonsense like they’re going to put me up for the sexiest man alive,”
Fauci said. “The one thing I’m not is the sexiest man alive! I’m pretty realistic to know that.”

Watch FOX 5's full interview with Dr. Fauci below: