Dr Anthony Fauci has said that he and his family have been assigned personal security after receiving ‘serious threats.’
Fauci, who is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told CNN that he, his wife and his three daughters have all been the targets of hate mail and threats since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Mail Online reports: Fauci, who is also on the White House coronavirus task force, said many of the threats are from Americans who believe he is pushing an personal agenda.
Fauci said this is not the first time he’s been threatened and said it also occurred during the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the 1980s and 1990s.
‘Back in the days of HIV when I was being criticized with some hate mail, it was, you know, people calling me a gay-lover and “What the hell are you wasting a lot of time on that?”‘ he said.
‘I mean, things that you would just push aside as stupid people saying stupid things,’
However, Fauci said there are differences in the threats he received back then and the ones presently.
As much as people inappropriately, I think, make me somewhat of a hero…there are people who get really angry at thinking I’m interfering with their life because I’m pushing a public-health agenda,’ he said.
‘[This has led to] not only hate mail but serious threats against me, against my family…my daughters, my wife – I mean, really? Is this the United States of America?’
Niamh Harris