A U.S. senator used a clip of Dr. Anthony Fauci saying that natural immunity is better than vaccination in an attempt to discredit the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director. The senator, who frequently promotes vaccine misinformation, claims that the video is proof that Dr. Fauci lied about the effectiveness of natural immunity against COVID-19.
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Emphasizing that this short clip misrepresents Dr. Fauci’s full statement to imply that he is lying about the necessity of COVID-19 vaccines is recommended. In the full video, Dr. Fauci is not speaking about COVID-19 but is answering a caller’s question about getting the flu shot after being diagnosed with the flu. Although flu shots are currently recommended after a flu infection, when this video was recorded nearly 20 years ago, our understanding of respiratory illnesses like the flu and the available vaccines was not as advanced as it is now. Consider countering misinformation about natural immunity by explaining that COVID-19 infection does not provide reliable protection against COVID-19 and is not a substitute for vaccination. Emphasizing that COVID-19 vaccination is the safest and most reliable way to gain protection is recommended. Fact Checking Source(s):
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