Conservatives Rage After Dr. Fauci Suggests COVID Tests Before Thanksgiving
Fauci #Fauci
Dr. Anthony Fauci has sparked conservative outrage by suggesting that Americans get tested for COVID-19 before Thanksgiving and the winter holidays during his final press conference before retirement after five decades in government service.
Fauci, the country’s top infectious diseases expert, is stepping down from his role as longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser at the end of the year. On Tuesday, he suggested that Americans should consider those who are elderly or immunocompromised and get tested for COVID before attending Thanksgiving and other holiday gatherings this year.
“When we’re gathering at a family gathering for Thanksgiving, for Christmas, or for any other holiday as we get into the winter,” Fauci said at the White House briefing room, “it makes sense that you might want to get a test that day before you come into a place in which you might be infected and spread it … in order to protect.”
Prominent conservatives, including some Republican lawmakers, soon weighed in on social media with outraged reactions to the doctor’s suggestions.
“Dr. Fauci says you should get a covid test before you have Thanksgiving dinner with your family,” conservative talk show host Clay Travis tweeted while sharing a video clip of Fauci’s remarks. “I don’t think I’ve ever hated anyone more in American politics than Fauci. Not even a close second, honestly.”
Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas responded to the tweet from Travis by sharing an image of a Texas Revolution-style “Come and Take It” flag modified to include a Thanksgiving turkey.
“Dr. Fauci says you should get a covid test before you have Thanksgiving dinner with your family,” tweeted @wendelltalks. “Who else couldn’t care less about what he has to say?”
“If Fauci says to do it then I know what I’ll do instead,” @The_Spackman tweeted. “I’d rather catch covid than take another test.”
“As he prepares for retirement, Anthony Fauci signs off by recommending people get a COVID test before having Thanksgiving dinner with family members,” tweeted Ben Kew, editor-at-large for conservative media platform El American. “I think it is fair to say that even most bed-wetting, nappy-wearing Democrats will be ignoring this one.”
“Rather than people getting a covid test, as Fauci recommends before Thanksgiving, I would recommend they get a psychological test for cult vulnerability / gullibility,” @BrianMcWilliams tweeted.
“Arrest him for crimes against humanity,” tweeted @Michell77426135.
Fauci also suggested that Americans should maximize their protection against the virus by getting COVID-19 booster shots, while saying that “the real danger is in people who have not been vaccinated.”
Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia responded to Fauci’s warning about the unvaccinated by tweeting “I’m not vaccinated” 12 times alongside a video clip of the doctor’s comment.
Greene, tweeting from her recently restored personal Twitter account, later invoked Fauci’s name again while inviting Bill Clinton rape accuser Juanita Broaddrick to her home for an unvaccinated-only Thanksgiving gathering.
Broaddrick, whose own account was reactivated by Elon Musk’s Twitter after being suspended for spreading COVID-19 misinformation, had tweeted “Happy Thanksgiving… Lol” alongside an image of a pie with words “unvaccinated and ready to talk politics” written on it.
“Come to my house Juanita!” Greene responded. “We will call our gathering ‘Pure Bloods and Politics.’ We’ll cook and discuss how we will ever survive another upcoming dark winter that Fauci has just announced.”
Newsweek has reached out to Fauci for comment.
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