Fauci admits ‘science’ behind masking kids, 6-foot social distancing was made up

This revelation of the admission came to light in the recent release of transcripts from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s closed-door interview with the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic in January. In the interview, Fauci was asked about the origin of the six-foot social distancing guideline, which was widely implemented in businesses and classrooms across the country. He was unable to recall where this specific recommendation originated.

“It just sort of appeared,” Fauci admitted. “I don’t recall, like, a discussion of whether it should be 5 or 6 or whatever.”

He further acknowledged that he had not seen a scientific study supporting this exact measurement, noting that proving such a specific distance would be “very difficult.”

Regarding the recommendation to mask children, Fauci, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), stated that the science behind this practice was still “up in the air.” When asked if he had reviewed any studies or data supporting the masking of children, Fauci responded, “You know, I might have,” but admitted he did not “recall specifically” doing so.

According to the transcript, the Majority Counsel questioned Fauci about the studies that have emerged since the pandemic began, particularly those addressing learning loss and speech development issues associated with young children wearing masks.

“There have been significant on kind of like the learning loss and speech and development issues that have been associated with particularly young children wearing masks while they’re growing up. They can’t see their teacher talk and can’t learn how to form words. Have you followed any of those studies?”

Fauci responded, “No. But I believe that there are a lot of conflicting studies too, that there are those that say, yes, there is an impact, and there are those that say there’s not. I still think that’s up in the air.”

Fauci also admitted before the committee that the vaccine mandates during the pandemic forced on individuals regardless of whether or not they had natural immunity might have caused an increase in vaccine hesitancy for the future. He even admitted these mandates were not sufficiently studied prior to the pandemic.

“I think one of the things that we really need to do after the fact, now, to — you know, after-the-game, after-the-event evaluation of things that need to be done, we really need to take a look at the psyche of the country, have maybe some social-type studies to figure out, does the mandating of vaccines in the way the country’s mental framework is right now, does that actually cause more people to not want to get vaccinated, or not? I don’t know. But I think that’s something we need to know,” Fauci concluded.

Following the release of that transcript, Fauci spoke before Congress on June 3 and was asked if he had anything to say about the release of the testimony and how it had been reported after that release. In response, he addressed the social distancing guidelines that he championed in 2020. He said that while he had previously said the guidelines "just appeared," he wanted to clarify that he came from the Centers from Disease Control.

This article has been update to reflect Dr. Fauci's testimony during congressional hearings on June 3, 2023.