Dr. Anthony Fauci’s personal diary from the early days of the coronavirus pandemic reveals that his private estimates of the disease’s death rate were notably lower than what he later communicated to Congress under oath. Fauci, now 85, has faced significant scrutiny for his handling of the U.S. response to COVID-19 and for his alleged connections to a Chinese lab linked to the virus’s origins. He is set to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee regarding these newly released records.
During a House Oversight Committee testimony on March 11, 2020, Fauci stated that the overall death rate was around 3%, indicating it had initially been reported as 2% or 3%. Just weeks after that statement, he privately communicated that he believed the actual mortality rate was substantially lower. In his diary, he mentioned a conversation with former CDC Director Tom Frieden, noting that although COVID-19 was transmissible like a severe flu, its case fatality rate was more in the range of 0.2-0.3%, not the much higher figure he later provided to lawmakers.
In February 2020, Fauci detailed in his writings that there were approximately 34,687 infections and 724 deaths, accounting for just over 0.2% mortality. He served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases during the pandemic, emerging as a prominent figure throughout President Trump’s administration until his retirement in 2022 under President Biden.
Fauci’s diary not only documented the health crisis but also reflected on his growing prominence in the media. He noted the recognition he received and expressed that the circumstances leading to his fame were quite extraordinary. For instance, he mentioned a front-page article in the Washington Post celebrating him, stating it felt like a remarkable honor and that he considered himself among the most famous individuals worldwide.
In his entries, Fauci described his “unique and interesting relationship” with Trump and chronicled significant media coverage, including a New York Times piece that characterized him as someone sticking to the facts during the pandemic. His diary also held moments of reflection, such as the acknowledgment in an August 2020 entry that he had become a hero in the eyes of grateful neighbors.
Fox News Digital attempted to reach out to Georgetown University regarding Fauci’s journal and his public remarks but did not receive a response before publication.
