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[POLITICS] · United States · 17 sources

Fauci text messages reveal private COVID-19 vaccine concerns

Republican Senators Ron Johnson and Rand Paul have released the first batch of text messages obtained from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government-issued iPhone as part of a Senate investigation into the pandemic response. The released messages from January 2021 reveal private discussions between Fauci, former CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy regarding the safety of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines for pregnant women.

In the text exchange, Fauci noted that because many individuals experience significant cytokine storms and fever after the second vaccine dose, the reaction “theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester.” While Fauci later publicly stated that there were “no red flags” regarding vaccine safety for pregnant women, the private messages show officials weighing potential risks against the benefits of vaccination. Murthy also raised concerns regarding a World Health Organization advisory against the Moderna vaccine in pregnant women due to limited data.

The investigation, conducted by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, involves reviewing over 34,000 text messages and 522 voicemails. The release has drawn sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers, who allege a disconnect between the private concerns of health officials and their public guidance.

Entities

Anthony Fauci · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Rand Paul · Rochelle Walensky · Ron Johnson · Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee · Vivek Murthy

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