Republican senator Marco Rubio accused America's top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci of lying about the novel Coronavirus in general and masks in particular in the early months of the Pandemic.
"Dr. Fauci lied about masks in March," the Florida politician wrote on Twitter: He referred to a particular time period when the US did not have access to personal protective equipment. He said Fauci did not have all the details about the virus.
In January, February and March the healthcare experts knew that the SARS-CoV-2, which emerged in China's Wuhan, was contagious. But they thought that the disease, COVID-19, was more about touch than respiratory transmission. This is the reason why people became more cautious about touching possibly contaminated surfaces and began spraying disinfectants on grocery bags and wearing gloves more than masks.

Is Rubio Right?
In the early months of the Pandemic in the US, healthcare experts said that the increased demand for masks was putting medical professionals at risk. At that time Fauci also told Americans to stop buying surgical masks because doctors, nurses, other first responders, and essential workers had to have masks.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) said: "The public-health community — and many people were saying this — were concerned that it was at a time when personal protective equipment, including the N95 masks and the surgical masks, were in very short supply."
Over the past few months, researchers from all around the globe understood the nature of Coronavirus transmission, the risk factors, and facts about self-protections. Even though Fauci said on March 8 that "there's no reason to be walking around with a mask", it does not represent his current stance on face coverings nor the updated guidance issued by the CDC.
"Dr. Fauci has been distorting the level of vaccination needed for herd immunity. It isn't just him. Many in elite bubbles believe the American public doesn't know 'what's good for them' so they need to be tricked into 'doing the right thing," said Rubio.
In terms of "distorted" herd immunity, it is unclear what the US senator tried to mean. But it has been explained by experts that herd immunity means that 70 percent of people in the US would have to garner the antibodies necessary to fight the COVID-19 and aiming for "herd immunity" would cause the deaths of millions of Americans. Many healthcare professionals call the herd immunity idea deadly and dangerous.
As far as "elites" are concerned, Rubio cannot deny that he also belongs to the same circle, as he has already received the COVID-19 vaccines when millions of Americans are waiting for the first shot.
Dr. Fauci lied about masks in March
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 27, 2020
Dr. Fauci has been distorting the level of vaccination needed for herd immunity
It isn’t just him
Many in elite bubbles believe the American public doesn’t know “what’s good for them†so they need to be tricked into “doing the right thingâ€
Here is how Twitter reacted to Rubio's attack on Fauci:
I have had the chance to briefly interact with Dr Fauci and his colleagues and students while at NIH and I can attest he is a solid professional with probably more clinical knowledge than anyone in the field of Infectious Diseases. What “Christian†Marco Rubio is saying is a lie.
— Exploding Trumpeacock Singh MD 🌊 (@LabyrinthWeaver) December 27, 2020
Marco Rubio got a vaccine before everyone else. So now he can sleep easy while attacking Fauci to score cheap politics points. The rest of us have to gamble with our lives and health—and our families—in deciding which one to trust. Personally, I don’t think it’s a tough call. https://t.co/o86gxuNN6I
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) December 27, 2020
a week after getting the COVID vaccine early himself despite not being in any known high risk category, Marco Rubio says that Fauci is making too much of the need for vaccinations: pic.twitter.com/pFm9m93PfV
— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) December 27, 2020
Fauci's comments on herd immunity were stupid. I know the man and would tell him to his face. BUT @marcorubio has blood on his hands. The @GOP has screwed up the response to #COVID19 catastrophically. Rubio is just the worst really. A hypocrite responsible for 300,000+ deaths. https://t.co/oh7s79ShvF
— Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) December 27, 2020
It’s a testament to Rubio’s lack of character that he’ll attack Dr. Fauci but never @realDonaldTrump. Over 330,000 Americans dead, most needlessly, and when America needs leaders with character we get this. History will remember the cowardice of McConnell, Rubio, Cruz & Graham. https://t.co/xrooFZiv9I
— Moe Davis (@ColMorrisDavis) December 27, 2020
A) Rubio is lying about Fauci. B) He’s literally describing Donald Trump, the man who confessed on tape that he lied to the American people from the beginning about the coronavirus because we couldn’t handle the truth. https://t.co/nkmUdRkK90
— John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷ðŸ³ï¸â€ðŸŒˆ (@aravosis) December 27, 2020
YOU. SKIPPED. THE. LINE. TO. GET. VACCINATED. YOU. SNIVELING. LITTLE. PRICK.
— Steve Hofstetter (@SteveHofstetter) December 27, 2020
What an asshole!! After jumping in front of the line to get vaccinated against a virus he downplayed for months, Marco freaking Rubio is now leading the campaign to discredit Dr. Fauci in the middle of trying to build confidence in the said vaccine.
— BlueJay (@I_amBlueJay) December 27, 2020
Fauci revised the herd immunity number up, not down
— Jen Monroe 🗽🌠🎧 🦥 (@jenniferm_q) December 27, 2020
As in, more people need to be vaccinated than originally stated
What is Rubio trying to accomplish here? https://t.co/gRl5v69UXY