News/Commentary

Dr. Fauci slithers out from rock, fearmongers about new respiratory virus

April 7, 2025 | | Print Article

Dr. Anthony Fauci resurfaced at an event where he boasted about his clashes with President Donald Trump and fearmongered about a new virus.

The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) spoke at the New Orleans Book Festival last week at Tulane University where he was greeted by cheers and a standing ovation.

But the immunologist who will forever be linked to the COVID-19 pandemic received a very different reception on social media, where users were anything but enthusiastic about what he had to say about another potential virus outbreak.

(Video Credit: New Orleans Book Festival)

On hand to discuss his new book, “On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service,” Fauci addressed questions about COVID  and insisted there was not a  “censoring” of “opposing opinions” during the lockdowns and hysteria. “It was saying that if you have an opposing opinion, it should be based on data and evidence — not just an opinion.”

At one point, Fauci addressed the “emergence” of another disease with widespread consequences.

“What is likely to happen, I don’t know if it’s going to be next year or 10 years or 15 or 20 years from now, is the emergence of another respiratory disease,” he told moderator Walter Isaacson, a Tulane professor.

“It may be another coronavirus, because we know that coronaviruses really, mostly in bats, have the capability of binding to receptors that are in humans,” he continued.

“It could be another flu. We’re dealing with H5N1 now, which is bird flu, which has taken the somewhat disturbing step of infecting mammals, namely cows and cats, and other mammals, which means it’s adapting itself more to the human,” he said.

“So my concern, Walter, is that whenever that happens, the next outbreak will be of a respiratory disease that’s easily transmissible, that has a significant degree of morbidity and mortality,” Fauci contended.

He also addressed the response to the pandemic, claiming the U.S. never locked down.

As the clip made the rounds on social media, X users reacted in no uncertain terms.

Frieda Powers
Latest posts by Frieda Powers (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles