Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) praised Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), for his expertise and national leadership amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In an op-ed published in USA Today on Monday, Hogan discussed the coronavirus outbreak in the DMV area — Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia — as he stressed the danger of sidelining infectious disease experts.
“When America’s top public health experts, like Dr. Anthony Fauci, are sidelined or undermined for political purposes, that’s not just a problem for the public, which desperately needs credible information and voices,” Hogan said.
The Democratic governor added, “It’s a problem for America’s governors as we work with our federal partners out of the public view.”
He went on to discuss his personal interactions with Fauci as he noted how the health expert addressed his concerns.
Hogan wrote, “I laid out my capital region concern. ‘I think you’re exactly right, Governor,’ Fauci said to me in his famous gravelly voice. ‘Right now, as we speak, I’m pulling into the parking lot at the White House. I’m going to raise the issue with the whole task force.'”
He commended Fauci, as he said Fauci “never let me or the people of Maryland down.”
“I shudder to think where our country would be today without him,” Hogan added.
While Hogan admitted that he is not suggesting public health experts like Fauci will “always get it right,” he is stressing the importance of incorporating their expertise to have a “clear-eyed view of the evidence as we know it at the time — even if we don’t always want to hear it.”
“With some states experiencing massive spikes, we need to know the science to help contain the spread. As the public experiences fatigue from months of social distancing, we need steady and reliable voices who can remind us to stay vigilant,” the governor wrote.
Hogan added, “And as we work to open school in the fall safely, we need the input of public health experts to guide how we can make it work. We need Dr. Fauci more than ever.”