Fauci urges Trump to tell supporters to get COVID vaccine, says it would 'make difference'

In a televised interview with Fox News Sunday, US top infectious diseases expert Dr. Anothony Fauci said that the former US president Donald Trump must “make a difference” by asking his supporters to get immunized against the novel COVID-19. “It would make all the difference in the world if former President Trump urged his supporters to take the coronavirus vaccine,” Fauci said in a live streamed statement on national tv. Fauci’s remarks were made in reference to the polls conducted by news agency PBS, NPR, and Matrist in early March that revealed that as many as 49 percent republican party supporters denied getting inoculated, of which a major chuck, about 47 percent were Trump supporters. 

“I cannot imagine, that they would not get vaccinated,” Fauci said, adding that the ex American leader must “come out and ask his support base to take the jab, telling them that it’s really important for one’s health, health of their family, and health of the country.” He added, “it seems absolutely inevitable that the vast majority of people who are his close followers would listen to him."  Stating that the caseload figure within the US of the coronavirus infections from new variants and non compliance of protocols were “disturbing”, Fauci told Fox News, “I hope he does that.” 

“This is a vaccine that is going to be lifesaving for millions of people,” Fauci separately said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He added: “I mean, I just can’t comprehend what the reason for that is when you have a vaccine that’s 94-95% effective and it is very safe. I just don’t get it.”

Fauci asks Trump to 'use his popularity'

Expressing concern at their denial for vaccination, Fauci said, “it makes absolutely no sense how such a large proportion of a certain group of people would not want to get vaccinated merely because of political considerations,” as he addressed the television host. Further, he questioned the choice saying, ‘What is the problem here?’ He lamented the polling results, asking Trump to “use his popularity”, saying that the  “politics needs to be separated from commonsense, no-brainer.” It would be a “game changer” for the country's vaccination efforts if Trump used his “incredible influence,” Fauci appealed. After the interview aired, there was no comment from Trump's former President’s office. At a  conservative political gathering in Florida, CPAC, however, Trump asked the gatherers to get vaccinated.