Dr. Anthony Fauci is pushing back on criticism he received after a photo circulated showing the health expert with his mask not covering his mouth and nose while sitting in the stands at the Washington Nationals game this week.
The photo shows Fauci with his mask partially pulled down in the stadium on Thursday, causing some to call him hypocritical for continuing to encourage Americans to wear a mask themselves.
However, Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Fox News on Friday that he pulled his mask down to drink water, calling the comments from some on social media “mischievous.”
“I think this is sort of mischievous with this thing going around,” Fauci said. “I had my mask around my chin, I had taken it down, I was totally dehydrated and I was drinking water, trying to rehydrate myself.”
He added, “And by the way, I was literally negative for COVID literally the day before.”
Fauci, 79, continued to note that he wears a mask “all the time.”
See Fauci’s comments below:
https://twitter.com/TVNewsHQ/status/1286683605226393601
Fauci was sitting next to two people when he pulled his mask down. He was next to his wife and a close friend.
“Hey Dr. Fauci should we wear the mask and keep 6 feet distance from each other or not?” a Fox News contributor wrote on Twitter in response to the photo.
See some of the reactions below:
Hey Dr. Fauci should we wear the mask and keep 6 feet distance from each other or not?
— Sara A. Carter (@SaraCarterDC) July 24, 2020
Can you please clarify…https://t.co/fbhJ6mhpaQ
And there’s Dr. Anthony Fauci showing us all he knows exactly how well masks work! Thanks for the lesson, doc. pic.twitter.com/jdHPzq5HfB
— Alex Berenson (@AlexBerenson) July 24, 2020
Flip Flop Falsely Fauci urged that everyone wear masks to cover their nose and mouth to stop the spread. Why isn't he wearing his masks properly and why isn't he sitting 6 feet apart?
— Diamond and Silk® (@DiamondandSilk) July 25, 2020
It's time to start calling this hypocrite out on his inconsistencies! pic.twitter.com/qFvSfh6OA1
Good thing Fauci wears his mask and stays 6 feet apart pic.twitter.com/idvVmolylY
— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) July 24, 2020
Fauci was at the game where he threw the ceremonial first pitch of the 2020 MLB season. His pitch also sparked conversation.
Speaking with Fox News on Friday, Fauci said that “besides the fact that I bounced it … it was [an] awesome feeling to be out there.”
It was a socially distant throw. (He practices what he preaches)
— Nick McGill (@NickMcGillTV) July 23, 2020
Also…
He’s 80 #Fauci https://t.co/g9P3YaHdKu
The Nationals previously said in a statement on Fauci, “Dr. Fauci has been a true champion for our country during the COVID-19 pandemic and throughout his distinguished career, so it is only fitting that we honor him as we kick off the 2020 season and defend our World Series Championship title.”