'Total, complete, blood-boiling nonsense': Dr Fauci is branded a CHILD ABUSER for warning that kids may have to wear masks outdoors until the end of the year because 'they're more at risk of getting infected'
Anthony Fauci has been accused of spouting 'blood-boiling nonsense' and even branded a 'child abuser' after warning children may have to wear face masks outdoors until the end of the year.
The nation's top public health expert, who has been appointed Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, made the remarks on NBC's Today show on Wednesday morning.
Asked about how much longer children would have to wear masks in playgrounds, Dr Fauci answered: 'It's gonna be a situation, well, first of all, kids will ultimately end up getting vaccinated, but you want to have some activity in that direction before they do (unmask)
'High school kids will likely get vaccinated as we get into the fall term, and children of any age will likely get vaccinated by the time we get to the end of the year.
'But lets not talk about the end of the year.'
Explaining his stance further, Fauci continued: 'When children are out in the community, when you have 30, 40, 50,000 new infections per day.
Anthony Fauci on Wednesday morning appeared on Today, speaking to Savannah Guthrie
'They are unvaccinated now because children can't get vaccinated now and for that reason they are more at risk of getting infected because they are out in the community where there is a lot of infection.
'When the community level starts to go way down, the risks to everybody including the children is going to be dramatically diminished.'
In an interview that left many viewers with more questions than answers, host Savannah Guthrie tried to get clarity on the new Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) guidelines.
Guthrie told Fauci she found the CDC guidelines confusing, describing it as 'a strange situation'.
She told him she was not fully vaccinated, and recounted a story.
'I walked to pick up my little girl at the bus stop yesterday, I took off my mask, I waited for her, when there was no one else around. She got off the bus with her little mask on,' Guthrie said.
'She had to wear her mask, I didn't on the way home.'
Guthrie appeared to be contravening the rules herself because, not being fully vaccinated, she should wear her mask in public, even outdoors.
The pair discussed face masks for children, with both appearing to confuse the other
He said children would likely begin to be vaccinated later this year.
The pair then further muddied the waters.
'If your child is a member of your household, can you walk outdoors with your child, without wearing a mask - the answer is yes,' said Fauci, contravening the guidelines.
Under the guidelines, you can only be outdoors in public without a mask if you are fully vaccinated.
Guthrie then responded: 'But the child can't?'
'Yes,' Fauci said.
A child wearing a face mask plays basketball in New York City in July
The confusing interview left many nonplussed.
New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz attacked Fauci, saying America should ignore his advice.
'This is total, complete, blood-boiling nonsense and contradicts Fauci’s comment on Sunday that “The risk when you’re outdoors – which we have been saying all along – is extremely low”' she tweeted.
'It’s low for everyone but especially for kids. Stop listening to this man.'
Nick Searcy, the outspoken conservative actor and director, went further, saying: 'Forcing children to wear masks is insane child abuse, and parents and teachers who put masks on these children should be ashamed of themselves.
'It is sickening, nonsensical, and shows a lack of critical thinking skills as well as an alarming docility in the face of tyranny.'
On Tuesday the CDC updated its advice, to say that fully-vaccinated people could now be outside safely, in small groups, without a face mask. In large crowds, face masks are still recommended.
Fully vaccinated means having had the full course - two shots for Pfizer and Moderna, one for Johnson & Johnson - and waiting two weeks for it to take effect.
People under 16 cannot yet be vaccinated, and so must continue to wear face masks in public - indoors and out.
Fauci - the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 - has previously been accused of flip-flopping on big COVID-related issues.
Earlier this week, he said the United States 'was doing very well' because of vaccines, shortly after warning of a possible fourth surge in cases.
Fauci most famously offered contradictory advice on mask wearing last year.
At the start of the pandemic, he said there was no need for ordinary Americans to wear face coverings.
But he later became a vociferous supporter of the measure, and claimed his initial advice had been given to try and avoid a rush on masks, to preserve supplies for medical staff and front line workers.
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