Health
Fauci admits social distancing not based on science, 'sort of just appeared'
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the public face of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic response, told lawmakers this week that the social distancing recommendations forced on Americans “sort of just appeared” and were likely not based on scientific data.
Fauci, 83, made the startling revelation in a closed-door interview with the House Select Committee on Coronavirus Pandemic. He also testified that the lab leak hypothesis — which was often suppressed — was not a conspiracy theory and that the policies and mandates he promoted may increase vaccine hesitancy in the future, Committee Chair Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, wrote in a statement Wednesday.
Wenstrup’s committee has been investigating whether government officials at the time, including Fauci, worked to suppress questions about whether the pandemic was the result of a lab leak in Wuhan, China.
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Republicans have accused those officials of pushing the natural origin theory in a bid to protect China.
Fauci became a politically polarizing figure during the pandemic. He was vilified by those opposed to lockdowns, masking rules and vaccine mandates, while being idolized by those who agreed with the government’s actions.
Dr. Anthony Fauci arrives for a closed-door interview with the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic at the U.S. Capitol on Monday. At right, people comply with social distancing rules during the pandemic in New York City. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images | Noam Galai/Getty Images)
“Dr. Fauci’s transcribed interview revealed systemic failures in our public health system and shed light on serious procedural concerns with our public health authority,” wrote Wenstrup, a physician of over 30 years.
“It is clear that dissenting opinions were often not considered or suppressed completely. Should a future pandemic arise, America’s response must be guided by scientific facts and conclusive data.”
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Many schools across the country were shuttered in order to comply with the six-foot rule of social distancing in an effort to stop the spread of the virus, while it also helped spur lockdowns and restrictions in public spaces as well as bars and restaurants.
However, Fauci, according to Wenstrup, characterized the development of the guidance by stating “it sort of just appeared.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci is shown wearing a mask during the COVID pandemic. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Fauci also acknowledged that the lab leak hypothesis, which claims the coronavirus originated from a lab in Wuhan, is not a conspiracy theory.
In fact, Wenstrup said Fauci played semantics with the definition of a “lab leak” while acknowledging that a lab leak was possible.
Wenstrup said the admission came nearly four years after prompting the publication of the “Proximal Origin” paper that attempted to vilify and disprove the lab leak hypothesis.
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Wenstrup said Fauci also admitted that America’s vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic could increase vaccine hesitancy in the future and that he had advised American universities to impose vaccine mandates on their students.
“It’s been proven that when you make it difficult for people in their lives, they lose their ideological bulls—, and they get vaccinated,” Fauci previously stated.
Wenstrup also said the committee was “frustrated” by Fauci’s inability to recollect COVID-19 information that was important to the investigation, although he praised him for appearing.
Fauci also denied allegations that he visited the CIA during the pandemic or influenced the CIA’s investigation into the origins of COVID-19.
Committee Chair Brad Wenstrup said Fauci admitted that America’s vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic could increase vaccine hesitancy in the future. (iStock)
Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who has been Fauci’s biggest nemesis, said in an appearance on “The Ingraham Angle” on Tuesday that Fauci lied about the origins of COVID.
“The one thing that’s consistent about Anthony Fauci is that what he says in private is largely true, what he says in public is largely a lie.”
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Added Sen. Paul, “When asked by a fellow co-worker, Sylvia Burwell, he told her the truth. He said the masks don’t work because the pores are bigger than the virus … but then in public he wears three masks and in private he tells his colleagues you don’t need to wear one.”
“It’s the same with immunity, it’s the same with the vaccines, and it’s really the same with gain of function,” Paul said. In basic terms, the point of gain-of-function research is to make a virus more dangerous and supporters argue that the research can prepare scientists to handle it if one day the virus were to mutate naturally.
“In private he said, yes, we’re suspicious that the virus was manipulated, looks manipulated and we know they’re doing gain of function in Wuhan. He describes it — that’s in a private email.”
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“In public, to this day, he still denies that they funded any gain of function research in Wuhan. It’s all an entire lie,” he said.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
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After a season of bingeing and drinking, your body may feel like it needs a break from the party.
Dry January — a modern trend that challenges people to abstain from drinking for the first month of the year — has become a popular way to “detox” from the holidays and start the new year on a healthy note.
Research has linked alcohol to a variety of health conditions, ranging from hangovers to higher cancer risk.
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In a recent podcast episode of “The Dr. Mark Hyman Show,” Dr. Mark Hyman, chief medical officer of Function Health, shared how 30 days of not drinking alcohol can transform health.
Hyman, who is based in Massachusetts, called Dry January a “powerful way to see in real time how alcohol affects nearly every system of your body and how quickly those systems can recover.”
Dry January has become a popular way to “detox” from the holidays and start the new year on a healthy note. (iStock)
Alcohol’s toll on the brain and body
Hyman acknowledged that most people drink to feel happier and more comfortable in social situations. This effect is caused by the main ingredient in alcohol, called ethanol, which can also have toxic effects.
Instead of stimulating the brain, alcohol slows it down and loosens inhibitions. “You feel more relaxed, more social, more confident, maybe you feel a little euphoric,” Hyman said.
Alcohol’s effect on the brain can also lead to poorer decisions and slower reflexes, the doctor cautioned.
Drinking alcohol can cause cognitive decline and brain fog, experts warn. (iStock)
Drinking also impacts the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which Hyman described as “the adult in the room,” responsible for judgment, planning and restraint. “It goes offline early in drinking, which explains why people feel freer or act impulsively when they drink,” he said.
Even moderate drinking can cause metabolic stress, inflammation, impaired detoxification and hormonal shifts, Hyman said, which can impact nearly every organ system in the body.
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Alcohol consumption has also been linked to an increased risk of cancer, metabolic dysfunction, gut microbiome disturbances and mitochondrial toxins.
It can also prevent the body from falling into REM sleep, which is the deep rest recovery period when the immune system cleans out the day’s toxins, according to Hyman.
Alcohol can impact deep rest and mental health, according to experts. (iStock)
Memory loss, cognitive decline, anxiety, sleep disruption, dementia and cardiovascular disease are all known risks of long-term alcohol use, as well as liver complications like fatty liver disease.
“Bottom line, alcohol taxes every major system in your body, especially your liver, your brain, your gut, your hormones,” Hyman said.
The effects of 30 days with no alcohol
The first week after your last drink, the body begins to detoxify and reset, according to Hyman. Blood sugar and cortisol stress hormones level out, and the liver begins to process a “backlog of toxins.” The body also re-hydrates and re-energizes.
The first 30 days with no alcohol allows the body to balance itself out. (iStock)
The second week, the gut and brain will begin to re-balance, as hormones like serotonin and dopamine stabilize, gut inflammation drops and the microbiome begins to heal. Cravings for sugar and alcohol will wane and mental clarity returns, the doctor said.
Week three is marked by further decreases in inflammation, fatty liver and blood pressure. This can be noticeable in the skin, as puffiness and redness are reduced. Mood also begins to stabilize, with lower anxiety levels.
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In week four, the body experiences additional metabolic and immune benefits, Hyman shared, including more insulin sensitivity, which makes it easier to lose weight.
“You have a stronger immune response. You’re not getting sick as much. You have better deep sleep, balanced hormones, especially cortisol and testosterone,” he said. “And you see a big change in energy, confidence and focus.”
Abstaining from alcohol can help restore energy, according to experts. (iStock)
Dr. Pinchieh Chiang, a clinician at Circle Medical in San Francisco, said that Dry January isn’t a “detox,” but rather provides “feedback” from the body.
“It gives the body time to show people how it feels without alcohol. For many, that insight alone changes their relationship with drinking,” she said. “The biggest surprise isn’t what people give up, it’s how much better they feel.”
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The doctor confirmed that the first few days of not drinking may feel harder than expected, sometimes causing restlessness, cravings or disrupted sleep, but Dry January can ultimately change drinking habits for the remainder of the year.
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After a full year without alcohol, Chiang noted that health improvements are more profound. “We see sustained improvements in blood pressure, liver function and inflammation,” she said. “Those changes directly affect long-term heart disease and stroke risk.”
The risks of ‘all or nothing’
Some experts warn that adopting the Dry January trend could strengthen the urge to drink more in the other months, noting that some drinkers may find more success by slowly consuming fewer drinks per week.
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Thomas Stopka, Ph.D., an epidemiologist and professor in the public health and community medicine department at Tufts University School of Medicine in Massachusetts, shared in a Futurity report that for some people, “damp January” may be more suitable.
One expert warned that not all drinkers should quit “cold turkey,” as it could lead to severe withdrawals. (iStock)
“Dry January is well-intentioned, and it may work really well for the people who can stick to it, maybe even beyond January,” he said. “Other people may be more inclined to cut down on alcohol consumption rather than quit drinking completely for the month.”
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Stopka noted that successful harm-reduction approaches “aim to be judgment free.”
“Substance use disorder is a disease,” he said. “It takes time to treat the disease and to stay connected to the continuum of care — from prevention to treatment initiation to sustained therapy, whether through medication, self-help, or individual therapy or group support.”
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Those struggling with signs of alcohol use disorder should consult a medical professional for personalized guidance.
Fox News Digital reached out to several alcohol industry associations requesting comment.
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