Trick-or-treating gets the green light! Fauci says kids can ‘go out and enjoy’ Halloween as COVID cases continue to wane but says they should continue to wear masks outside
- The nation’s top infectious disease expert gave his blessing to trick-or-treaters
- Dr. Anthony Fauci encouraged those eligible to get vaccinated before Halloween
- Some social media users mocked him for giving ‘permission’ to celebrate
- Last week, Fauci warned it was ‘too early’ to say whether Americans could gather for the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays
- While encouraging gatherings, he told Americans to keep on the defense against the virus, which 68million eligible people have not been inoculated against
Dr Anthony Fauci’s has told American children to go out and enjoy trick-or-treating – but warned all Americans to wear masks in crowded outdoor settings.
‘This is a time children love,’ Fauci told CNN’s Dana Bash during Sunday’s State of the Union episode. ‘It’s a very important time for children. I know my children enjoyed it.’
The nation’s top infectious disease expert encouraged participants to get vaccinated if possible, despite the vaccine not being available for children younger than 12.
‘If you’re not vaccinated, think about (how by becoming so) you add an extra degree of protection to yourself and your children and your family and your community,’ he said. ‘It’s a good time to reflect on why it’s important to get vaccinated, but go out there and enjoy Halloween as well as the other holidays that will be coming up.’
Fauci was derided for his remarks online by viewers who considered him to keep to give stern suggestions during the COVID pandemic, despite frequent U-turns that saw him nicknamed ‘flip-flop Fauci.’
Discussing outdoor mask-wearing, Fauci urged all Americans – even those who’ve had vaccines – to don face-coverings in crowded outdoor settings.
He explained: ‘When you have a lot of infection in the community, even though you’re vaccinated, when you are not home but outside in congregate settings in the public, wearing masks, I think would be very prudent.’
Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN’s Dana Bash that children should go out ‘and enjoy Halloween’
He encouraged participants to get vaccinated, despite kids under 12 being ineligible for it
And the White House COVID tsar also revealed he thinks COVID deaths will continue to trend down this winter, as the Delta surge eases, sparking hopes the virus may finally be on the retreat.
Fauci was mocked on social media for giving children ‘permission’ to participate in the annual candy-gathering tradition.
‘OH THANK YOU DEAR GOD EMPEROR FOR GRANTING US THIS HOLIDAY,’ one person tweeted.
‘Lol. Lord Fauci speaks,’ added another. ‘We can have Halloween but Thanksgiving/ Christmas he’s not sure about.’
Some Twitter users mocked Fauci for giving them ‘permission to celebrate the holiday
Fauci earlier this month encouraged vaccinated people to celebrate the winter holidays with their loved ones, despite previously saying it was ‘too soon’ to say whether Americans could gather for Christmas.
Just one day later, in an appearance on CNN , the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases said his comments were ‘misinterpreted’ and that he was not telling people to forego family gatherings.
Another Twitter user noted that Fauci was encouraging children to stock up on unhealthy candy, and questioned said he was enabling ‘poor health’.
Some Halloween celebrations were cancelled last year, with popular events across the nation scrapped or modified to adhere to social distancing requirements.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky has also given the greenlight for candy collecting.
‘I wouldn’t necessarily go to a crowded Halloween party, but I think that we should be able to let our kids go tricking in small groups,’ she told CBS’ Face the Nation.
Fauci did not offer face covering guidance for trick-or-treaters (pictured here in a 2020 photo)
The Food and Drug Administration plans a meeting in late October to consider Pfizer’s request for emergency use authorization of its vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.
Nationwide, there are about 95,000 new COVID-19 cases a day; Fauci called the downward trend ‘good news’ but cautioned against declaring a premature victory.
‘We still have around 68 million people who are eligible to be vaccinated, that have not yet gotten vaccinated, and even those who have been vaccinated … want to look forward to holiday seasons and spending time with your family and doing those sorts of things,’ Fauci said.
‘But don’t just throw your hands up and say it’s all over, because on one hand, we do want to celebrate and look forward to the fact that we are going in the right direction. But if you look at the history of the surges, they can bounce back.’