Dr. Anthony Fauci answered questions from US elected officials on the coronavirus, May 12, 2020. - US Senate TV via CNP / Newscom / SIPA

The Democrats wanted to hear it without Donald Trump. Semi-confined to his office, immunologist Anthony Fauci, central figure in the White House crisis cell on the coronavirus, answered questions from elected officials on Tuesday. And he warned them of the "very serious" consequences of a too rapid economic recovery, yet encouraged by the American president.

Advising the American president on the Covid-19 crisis, he also warned that the death toll in the United States, the country most affected by the pandemic, was "probably higher" than the more than 80,000 official deaths, notably because of unreported cases of people who died at home.

Long awaited, his hearing, by videoconference in the United States Senate, contrasted with the White House speech which for days focused its optimistic message on the need to revive the country's economy, ravaged by the coronavirus crisis.

"No conflicting relationship" with Trump

"Our test capacity is the best in the world by far," President Trump further defended on Twitter on Tuesday. “The numbers are going down in most parts of our country, which wants to reopen and restart. This is what is happening, safely! "

Asked about his discrepancy with that of the president, Anthony Fauci rejected any "confrontation". “I give advice and he listens to it and respects it and he gets information from various people. Over the past few months, there has been no conflictual relationship between us, ”he told members of the Senate Health Committee.

Dr. Fauci confirmed to me today: our country does not have coronavirus under control. President Trump needs to stop pretending that if he just ignores that bad news, it will go away. It won't. The time for magical thinking is over. pic.twitter.com/urXZPqyDpY

- Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) May 12, 2020

A globally recognized immunologist who has distinguished himself in the fight against many viruses, from AIDS to Ebola, Anthony Fauci has become a reassuring figure during the crisis for many Americans. But also criticized, Republicans indignant that he contradicts Donald Trump.

And during the hearing on Tuesday, the libertarian senator Rand Paul seemed to bring Anthony Fauci out of his usual phlegm by telling him that he was not the only "reference" on the question of when he would be sure to restart the economy. “I have never presented myself as the only reference and only voice on this. I am a scientist, a public health official and I advise on the basis of the best scientific indications, ”he replied.

Fauci pushes back on Rand Paul's demand that schools reopen: "We don't know everything about this virus, and we really should to be very careful, particularly when it comes to children." pic.twitter.com/yAF1H4cW4X

- Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 12, 2020

"Useless" deaths

"The consequences could be very serious" if a state, city or region decides to reopen its economy before the necessary conditions are met, including a drop in the epidemic detected for 14 days, said Dr Fauci. "If we do not deploy the adequate response, when the fall arrives, since there is no doubt that there will be infections in the population, then we run the risk of seeing a recovery" of the epidemic, he warned.

Donald Trump's health adviser issued an even darker warning the previous day, telling The New York Times that the United States would risk "unnecessary death and suffering" if it lifted the restrictions "prematurely" .

Anthony Fauci also said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the prospect of a vaccine, with eight candidates currently undergoing clinical trials. But to imagine that vaccines or treatments are ready for the start of the school year would be "going too far," he nuanced. The experimental antiviral remdesivir, which has raised hopes, has so far produced only "modest" results in his eyes.

At 79, Anthony Fauci had placed himself as a precaution this weekend in a type of “modified quarantine” because of a possible exposure to the new coronavirus, because two employees of the White House had tested positive. But he said he was still working and went to the White House on Monday.

World

VIDEO. Coronavirus: Correcting Trump without pointing it out, Dr. Fauci's difficult balancing act

Culture

Coronavirus: Brad Pitt mimics White House adviser epidemiologist Anthony Fauci

  • Deconfinement
  • World
  • Coronavirus
  • Donald trump