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Coronavirus News: Dr. Fauci, Sen. Rand Paul clash over New York

COVID-19 News and Information

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

It was the second public clash this year between Fauci and Paul. This time it was over the concept of herd immunity.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Dr. Anthony Fauci clashed with Sen. Rand Paul, rejecting the Kentucky senator's repeated contention that hard-hit New York has become largely immune because so many people were infected.

"You've lauded New York for their policy. New York had the highest death rate in the world. How could we possibly be jumping up and down and saying, "Oh, Governor Cuomo did a great job?" He had the worst death rate in the world," Paul said.

"You misconstrued that, Senator, and you've done that repetitively in the past. They got hit very badly. They've made some mistakes," Fauci said. "The things that are going on in New York to get their test positivity 1% or less is because they are looking at the guidelines that we have put together, from the task force, of the four or five things of masks, social distancing, outdoors more than indoors, avoiding crowds, and washing hands."

Paul argued New York "developed enough community immunity that they're no longer having the pandemic."

"You are not listening to what the director of the CDC said, that in New York, it's about 22%. If you believe 22% is herd immunity, I believe you're alone in that," Fauci countered.

Fauci was among top U.S. health officials seeking to assure a skeptical Congress and public that they can trust any vaccine the government ultimately approves.

Hopes are high that answers about at least one of several candidates being tested in the U.S. could come by year's end, maybe sooner.

"We feel cautiously optimistic that we will be able to have a safe and effective vaccine, although there is never a guarantee of that," Fauci said.

WATCH: Eyewitness to a Pandemic

Suddenly, the brutal death of George Floyd while in the custody of police officers in Minneapolis filled the streets of a nation with rage and sorrow. New York was no different. Protesters put the fear of the virus aside and took to the streets by the thousands. Abandoning the safety and comfort of social distance, to demand social change.