Dr. Anthony Fauci said he “vaguely” recalled discussing masks in a February 2020 email but does “not recall” advising Sylvia Burwell, President of American University and former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, to forgo a mask when traveling, stating in the email that the “typical mask you buy in the drugstore is not really effective in keeping out virus.”
The November 23 deposition, released this week as part of Missouri and Louisiana’s lawsuit against federal officials and the Biden administration, briefly rehashed Fauci’s infamous February 5, 2020, email to Burwell. In that email, Fauci admits that the “typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out virus, which is small enough to pass through the material.” Yet, months later, he joined the ranks in calling for universal masking, even going as far as double masking, personally.
Yet, during the deposition, Fauci claimed to have trouble remembering the conversation.
“And in particular, in February of 2020, did she [Burwell] e-mail you and say, ‘I am traveling to — redacted — folks are suggesting I take a mask through the airport. Is this something I should do?’” Fauci was asked.
“You know, I don’t recall specifically that. I — I do know that Sylvia has called me over the last couple of years asking me questions about health. I don’t specifically recall that,” Fauci said. Notably, Fauci claimed to not “recall” well over 100 times throughout the deposition.
Fauci was then presented with his own words in the email, in which he dismissed the efficacy of typical drugstore masks and ultimately did not recommend Burwell to wear one:
Do you recall writing this in response: “Masks are really for infected people to prevent them from spreading infection to people who are not infected, rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection. The typical mask you buy in the drugstore is not really effective in keeping out virus, which is small enough to pass through material. It might, however, provide some slight benefit in keep out gross droplets if someone coughs or sneezes on you. I do not recommend that you wear a mask, particularly since you’re going to a low risk location.”
When asked if he recalled writing that, Fauci said, “I vaguely recall talking to her about certain safety issues regarding masks.” However, when pressed further on whether he remembered advising against Burwell wearing a mask, Fauci stated, “I don’t recall.”
“If that’s an accurate — I mean, you’re asking if I recall?” he asked.
“I don’t recall. I mean, these things — thousands of things happen. If you show me an e-mail that has my name and the proper identification and I said that, I would not argue with you. It would not be out of the question that at that time in the outbreak, I would have said that,” Fauci added, later proceeding to admit that he made several similar statements at that point in time, saying masks are not effective.
“Yeah, in the very early months prior to our understanding of the virus and its modality of transmission, I, the surgeon general, and the CDC were not recommending masks for people for three reasons,” Fauci said, pointing to concerns over a shortage of masks for hospitals, a lack of studies, and lack of understanding of how the virus transmits, even among those not exhibiting symptoms.
Fauci later claimed that his opinion on masking changed based on “new information,” though he also admitted that there are studies that contradict the so-called “efficacy” of masking.
When asked who he consulted with about the efficacy of masks during that early time period, Fauci replied, “I don’t recall who I spoke to.”
Read the full deposition here.