CNN’s Chris Cuomo asked Dr. Anthony Fauci whether he minded social media users calling the coronavirus vaccine the “Fauci ouchie” during a Thursday discussion of the pandemic.
“There are good signs that things are starting to go away,” Cuomo told Fauci. “Families are starting to get reunited again. People are doing it the right way. Mask culture is spreading.”
“So it allows me a little bit of leeway to ask something a little lighter,” he said. “Did you know that on social media, people are referring to the vaccine as the ‘Fauci ouchie’? Did you know that? Did you have anything to do with that?” (RELATED: Hospital Throws Away Nearly 600 Johnson & Johnson Vaccines After Doses Became Unfrozen)
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Fauci laughed, saying that he had not heard that nickname for the vaccine, but that if it helped encourage people to get vaccinated, he was all for it.
“No, I did not,” Fauci said. “Chris, I can tell you, it was not my idea.”
Cuomo went on to ask whether Fauci had a problem with the vaccine being referred to by that name.
“Well, if it makes people more — more tendency to get vaccinated, you can call it Fauci ouchie any time you want, just go get vaccinated,” he responded.
“I have never had that picture of you, I’ve never had coming to mind when I think of you, pain,” Cuomo continued. “But as long as it’s protection, I guess it’s okay. Whatever gets people to take a step in the right direction. I want to put a smile on your face because otherwise, we’re crying all the time under these circumstances.”
Fauci has repeatedly urged Americans to get the coronavirus vaccine. Recent polls have shown that a significant number of people said that they will not take the vaccine, despite former President Donald Trump recently encouraging Americans to get vaccinated.