Correction: Fauci just said that crowds of any kind put you at risk of transmitting coronavirus. He did not say protesting is dangerous. Although @Jim_Jordan pressed him about whether we should ban protests or arrest them, Fauci refused to say that.
"A stack of paper is not a plan," said @RepRaskin
@RepRaskin asked if children are "almost immune" to covid?
Fauci says no.
@RepRaskin: Will covid magically disappear?
Fauci: It is unlikely that it will disappear.
@RepRaskin: Is covid-19 a hoax?
Fauci: No.
Fauci says no.
@RepRaskin: Will covid magically disappear?
Fauci: It is unlikely that it will disappear.
@RepRaskin: Is covid-19 a hoax?
Fauci: No.
@RepRaskin: Signing a waive doesn't confer any immunity on you?
Fauci: Of course not.
Fauci: Of course not.
Fauci finally gets to do what he's so good at: Explain mindbendingly complicated science to America. He notes that there are 2 arms of the immune system: antibodies and cellular immunity, including T-cells, which can kill human cells infected by coronavirus.
Fauci: Two studies now show that people exposed to coronavirus have T-cells against the virus.
Fascinating: Even people NOT exposed to SARS-Cov-2 have these T-cells, suggesting possible cross-protection from other coronaviruses, like non-lethal coronaviruses that cause colds.
Fascinating: Even people NOT exposed to SARS-Cov-2 have these T-cells, suggesting possible cross-protection from other coronaviruses, like non-lethal coronaviruses that cause colds.
The fact that some people never exposed to SARS-CoV-2 have memory T-cells against the virus could explain why some people, especially children, may have some protection against this totally new virus. "We’re just at the cusp of understanding this type of response." #Science
To elaborate: There are many coronaviruses and many cause cold-like symptoms. You may have been infected w/ one of these. Maybe that's why some of us have T-cells against SARS-Cov-2. Fauci said we need to know if these T-cells help protect some against SARS-Cov-2.
Fauci: We should avoid crowds under any circumstances and wear masks. But indoors is worse than outdoors, because of air circulation.
Democrats introduce this study: Research Determines Protests Did Not Cause Spike In Coronavirus Cases via @forbes forbes.com/sites/tommybee…
@WhipClyburn: "I am here as a result of a protest." He says he met former Rep. John Lewis through protesting.
@WhipClyburn. "I'm sitting here as the result of a protest."
@WhipClyburn: "I want children to be educated but I want them to be safe."
@RepMaxineWaters asks Fauci about Trump's claim that children are "almost immune" to covid-19.
Fauci: "Children do get infected. They are not immune....
Children do have a much, much lower rate of hospitalization... They generally do not get serious disease."
Fauci: "Children do get infected. They are not immune....
Children do have a much, much lower rate of hospitalization... They generally do not get serious disease."
@Jim_Jordan asks Fauci if he is tracking coronavirus infections among police officers at protests
Fauci: "I don’t do tracking...
I’m concerned about any crowds, particularly people who don't wear masks. I'm concerned about indoor crowds more than outdoor crowds."
Fauci: "I don’t do tracking...
I’m concerned about any crowds, particularly people who don't wear masks. I'm concerned about indoor crowds more than outdoor crowds."
Fauci: How to deal with testing delays? "If a person goes in for a test, they should assume it might be positive. They should isolate themselves until they go back and get the results of the test."
@RepBlaine claims that doctors have a "perverse incentive" for doctors to say that patients have died of covid-19 than some other issues, like heart disease, b/c they get more money.
@RepBlaine is picking out one study that favors hydroxychloroquine.
But one study is not definitive. Many, many more studies show this drug isn't helpful in covid-19.
But one study is not definitive. Many, many more studies show this drug isn't helpful in covid-19.
Fauci: The study that @repblaine cites is a "flawed" study. It wasn't a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. "You can peer review something that is a bad study."
Of randomized studies, "none of them" have showed hydroxychloroquine works.
Of randomized studies, "none of them" have showed hydroxychloroquine works.
Fauci: If a randomized, placebo-controlled study were to show that hydroxychloroquine is effective against covid-19, "I would be the first to champion it."
Fauci: The hydroxychloroquine study that @repblaine
cited was very flawed. Patients who got hydroxychloroquine *also* got dexamathesone, which has been shown in randomized controlled trials to save lives. So the study doesn't prove any benefit from hydroxychloroquine.
cited was very flawed. Patients who got hydroxychloroquine *also* got dexamathesone, which has been shown in randomized controlled trials to save lives. So the study doesn't prove any benefit from hydroxychloroquine.
If you're just tuning in, I've been live tweeting a hearing on Capitol Hill w/ Tony Fauci, Robert Redfield, Adm. Brett Giroir. Lots of partisan fireworks, but a little science has come through, too. Follow my Twitter threads for more. Or look back to see what you missed. @khnews
Fauci answers questions on whether China covered up coronavirus early on. Fauci: China found out that the virus was spreading from person to person, not just from animals to humans. "It would have been nice to know about that sooner."
Fauci asked about Chinese hacking into vaccine research.
Says all of the U.S. research is quickly made public. Says we publish everything in New England Journal of Medicine. So they can hack into our system, or just read it in the @nejm a few days later.
Says all of the U.S. research is quickly made public. Says we publish everything in New England Journal of Medicine. So they can hack into our system, or just read it in the @nejm a few days later.
@NydiaVelazquez notes that testing delays are worse in minority communities.
Fauci: Asian countries got the virus under control for many reasons. They shut down more than 90%, did adequate testing, identification, contract tracing.
@NydiaVelazquez wants to know if we're seeing more covid-19 cases because of testing.
Fauci: If you do more testing, you will see more cases. But the increases we're seeing reflect real cases, as seen by increased hospitalizations and deaths.
Fauci: If you do more testing, you will see more cases. But the increases we're seeing reflect real cases, as seen by increased hospitalizations and deaths.
@NydiaVelazquez asks why major league baseball players get coronavirus test results within 24 hours.
Fauci replies that MLB bought rapid testing machines to let them do this.
Fauci replies that MLB bought rapid testing machines to let them do this.
@NydiaVelazquez asks @CDCgov if he agrees testing delays are worse in Hispanic neighborhoods. He doesn't agree.
@RepRaskin notes that all groups, including churches, are allowed to gather in groups under 100. He notes that churches have been linked to super spreading events through singing, etc.
@RepRaskin If you're really concerned about protests and people getting sick there, we should be concerned about all the people getting tear gassed. Notes that a police officer removed a protester's mask and sprayed him with pepper spray.
@RepRaskin asks Fauci about Jared Kushner's role in testing. Fauci said that Adm. Brett Giroir is handing testing. Giroir has left the hearing to attend to other covid-19 meetings.
@RepRaskin asks about Vanity Fair story, claiming that government "pitted states against each other in a vicious free-for-all." vanityfair.com/news/2020/07/h…
@SteveScaliseGOP praises Fauci and Redfield for implementing President Trump's plan for combatting coronavirus. Says Trump stopped flights from China and saved lives.
@stevescalisegop says, "Thank God President Trump keeps his focus on carrying out this plan everyday."
"While we're working feverishly to get a vaccine, China is working feverishly to steal the vaccine." #covid19
"While we're working feverishly to get a vaccine, China is working feverishly to steal the vaccine." #covid19
@WhipClyburn “I represent a district where children cannot afford to buy masks everyday.”
If you followed the #FauciHearing and want to know more about the challenges of making a vaccine, read this. It explains the T-cell immunity that Fauci mentioned today on Capitol Hill. scientificamerican.com/article/fauci-…
