Dr. Anthony Fauci has not spoken or appeared publicly for several weeks.
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Fauci has regularly given interviews and appeared at press briefings
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- Claims that Dr. Anthony Fauci stopped appearing or speaking in public are wrong. He continues to regularly give interviews to national and local news outlets, and he’s appeared at White House press briefings concerning the coronavirus.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, became a household name in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic as he appeared at press briefings and on news networks to talk about COVID-19.
But critics have suggested he’s disappeared from public life.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently joked that Fauci was in "the witness protection program now."
Some Facebook posts cast a similar tone.
"Is he missing?" reads a March 5 Facebook post with a picture of Fauci. "I’m starting to get worried."
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"Dr. Anthony Fauci, was last seen several weeks ago ‘following science’ and has not been seen (or) heard from since," another post, from March 6, said, describing Fauci as "simply vanished."
One person commented on that post: "According to Gov Desantis in Florida, he actually IS in the witness protection program. I saw a posting with Gov D speaking."
These posts were flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
While some posts are clearly just suggesting that Fauci isn’t as public-facing as he used to be when the White House was doing daily televised briefings about the pandemic, a quick Google search shows it’s not true that Fauci has not been heard of in weeks. While Russia’s war in Ukraine has dominated much news coverage, Fauci is still making appearances to talk about issues related to the pandemic.
On Feb. 15 he was on MSNBC and discussed COVID-19 vaccines for children under five.
He spoke at a White House press briefing on Feb. 16.
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On Feb. 17, he talked to Reuters about changing guidance on how to respond to the coronavirus, and a PBS NewsHour interview with Fauci also aired that day.
On March 1, Fauci appeared on the 85 South Comedy Show to talk about COVID-19.
He appeared at a March 2 White House press briefing.
On March 4 he spoke to Gray Television’s Washington news bureau.
Fauci is quoted in a March 5 Telegraph story about tuberculosis in Ukraine.
He gave an interview to a Florida NBC news affiliate on March 6.
Claims that Fauci stopped appearing or speaking in public are rated False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, March 6, 2022
PBS NewHour, Fauci on the uncertain future of COVID-19 amid changing public health guidelines, Feb. 17, 2022
14 News, New federal COVID-19 strategy aims to make school and business shutdowns a thing of the past, March 4, 2022
Yahoo, Fauci: ‘We are clearly going in the right direction’ in fighting COVID-19, March 2, 2022
NBC Miami, One-On-One With Dr. Anthony Fauci, March 6, 2022
The 85 South Comedy Show, Covid Questions with Dr. Fauci with Karlous Miller and Chico Bean, March 1, 2022
The Telegraph, War in Ukraine could lead to ‘devastating’ tuberculosis problem, warns Anthony Fauci, March 5, 2022
Reuters, Fauci says time to start 'inching' back toward normality, Feb. 17, 2022
MSNBC, Fauci: ‘No doubt about safety’ of vaccines for children under five, Feb. 15, 2022
White House, Press Briefing by White House and HHS Public Health Officials, March 2, 2022
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Fauci has regularly given interviews and appeared at press briefings
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