Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Tuesday sparred with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, during a contentious Senate hearing on the coronavirus response and reopening phases.
Fauci predicted Americans would experience "suffering and death that could be avoided," as well as economical damage, if states ignore federal guidelines and reopen too quickly.
"As much as I respect you, Dr. Fauci, I don't think you're the end-all," Paul said, adding, "We can listen to your advice, but there are people on the other side saying there's not going to be a surge."
Paul also asserted schools could reopen in the fall because the coronavirus appears to be less dangerous in children.
"It's not to say this isn’t deadly, but really, outside of New England, we've had a relatively benign course for this virus nationwide," Paul said. "And I think the one-size-fits-all, that we’re going to have a national strategy and nobody is going to go to school, is kind of ridiculous. We really ought to be doing it school district by school district, and the power needs to be dispersed because people make wrong predictions."
After asking to respond, Fauci told Paul, "I've never made myself out to be the end-all."
"I am very careful and hopefully humble in knowing that I don't know everything about this disease, and that’s why I'm very reserved in making broad predictions," he added.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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