Dr. Anthony Fauci has tested positive for COVID-19.
A statement released by the National Institutes of Health revealed that Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.
The statement emphasized that Fauci has received the COVID-19 vaccine as well as two booster shots.
“He is fully vaccinated and has been boosted twice,” the NIH said.
The announcement said that Fauci is “experiencing mild symptoms” and specified that he will continue working from home while isolating.
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“Dr. Fauci will follow the COVID-19 guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and medical advice from his physician and return to the NIH when he tests negative,” the NIH explained.
The agency said that Fauci hasn’t recently been in close contact with President Joe Biden or senior federal officials, an occurrence that would likely trigger quarantine protocols for those involved.
As an 81-year-old man, Fauci is a member of a demographic more likely to face health risks from the coronavirus disease. However, the NIH hasn’t provided any indication that his medical situation is serious.
As Biden’s chief medical adviser, Fauci was largely responsible for coordinating the coronavirus response of the federal government. The career bureaucrat also advised President Donald Trump during his tenure.
His policy prescriptions were widely criticized, with Fauci himself lashing out at his critics for spreading what he called “misinformation, disinformation and outright lies.”
With the coronavirus fading as a topic of public conversation, Fauci has reportedly criticized members of the Biden administration for failing to obey his guidelines.
Fauci, who was worked for the federal government since the 1980s, is the single highest-paid employee of the U.S. government.
Fauci has suggested he’d consider retiring if the GOP wins control of the House of Representatives in the November midterms. Republicans have promised to scrutinize his pandemic policies if they retake Congress this fall.
