Anthony Fauci urged people to get the latest Covid-19 vaccine in his last briefing from the White House
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci speaks during the daily press briefing in the James S Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on November 22, 2022. © Jim WATSON / AFP
The US government’s chief Covid-19 adviser Anthony Fauci has for the last time urged US citizens to keep up with their vaccinations as he gave his final address from the White House before retiring next month.
“Please, for your own safety, for that of your family, get your updated Covid-19 shot as soon as you’re eligible to protect yourself, your family and your community,” said Fauci.
Reflecting on his time in office, the former ‘Covid czar’ said he hoped he would be remembered as a dedicated public servant. “What I would like people to remember about what I’ve done is that every day for all of those years, I’ve given it everything that I have and I’ve never left anything on the field,” he told reporters.
Fauci’s Covid policies have been the topic of much controversy in the US since the outbreak of the virus. Some have applauded his efforts in combating the spread of the disease, while others have blasted his excessive measures and accused him of profiting off the pandemic, as his wealth has reportedly doubled since 2019.
The health adviser stated that, in the future, he would “cooperate fully” with any Republican oversight committees and “defend, and explain and stand by everything that we said,” noting that he has “nothing to hide.”
The briefing concluded with a Q&A session with reporters, which descended into chaos as Fauci was bombarded with questions about the origins of Covid-19. At one point, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was forced to step in as journalists started shouting their questions over each other.
Fauci, 81, is set to retire from his position as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in December, after having served in the federal government for 54 years.
