Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., had sharp words for Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, during Tuesday’s Senate committee
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., had sharp words for Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, during Tuesday’s Senate committee hearing on the coronavirus.
In arguing for reopening the economy and schools, Paul said, “As much as I respect you, Dr. Fauci, I don’t think you’re the end-all. I don’t think you’re the one person who gets to make a decision.”
Paul pointed to the mortality rate in New York City of young people up to age 18, which he said was near zero — much lower than for older people.
“If we keep kids out of school for another year, what’s going to happen is that the poor and underprivileged kids who don’t have a parent that is able to teach them at home are not going to learn for a full year,” said Paul, who himself tested positive for COVID-19 in March.
Earlier in the hearing, Fauci responded to a question about whether schools should reopen in the fall by saying it was unlikely there would be a vaccine or a treatment for COVID-19 available that soon.
