Fauci’s TV appearances have brought him public acclaim. They have done less to advance the public interest. While the criticism leveled at him is frequently overdone — his record of public statements on the pandemic certainly looks a lot better than Trump’s — he has made serious missteps. In early March, he told viewers of “60 Minutes” that “there’s no reason to be walking around with a mask.” Masks, he said, were not “providing the perfect protection that people think” and could backfire by causing wearers to touch their faces more often. He also cited the need to reserve masks for medical providers and sick people.
By June, he was saying that Americans should wear masks and that the earlier advice discouraging it was a response to “short supply.” More recently, he has gotten testy when asked about the shift in his message. Fauci was in line with the public-health community generally in downplaying the benefits of masks early in the crisis. But that’s the problem. The public-health community, including Fauci, wasn’t being candid.
Treating Americans as competent adults would have meant saying something like: “While the precise effectiveness of masks in protecting against the spread of coronavirus in different situations is not known, they are likely to be somewhat useful in many. Since supplies are low at the moment, it would be best if people showed restraint in getting medical-grade masks.” The choices Fauci and others actually made, on the other hand, depleted public trust. If many people “just don’t believe science and they don’t believe authority,” as Fauci has lamented, it’s in part because they have been given reasons for doubt.
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