White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci blew off the cases of COVID-19 infection among migrants at the border Friday, noting that the spread of the Omicron variant across the U.S. could not be prevented “no matter what.”
Fauci appeared Friday on Fox Business’ “Cavuto: Coast to Coast,” where he was asked to comment on the rising number of infections among illegal migrants, which host Neil Cavuto estimated to be around 4,000.
“You know, Neil, I don’t have an easy answer for that,” Fauci said, adding that Title 42, the public health order invoked by former President Donald Trump to prohibit some individuals from entering the U.S. in response to the pandemic, was still in effect.
“There is testing that is done — I’m certain it’s not as extensive as we would like to see — but I have to admit, Neil, I don’t have an easy answer. That’s a very difficult problem,” Fauci added.
Fauci: “I don’t have an easy answer” for preventing COVID spread by illegal immigrants crossing our southern border pic.twitter.com/dsq59GhLqG
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 3, 2021
Fauci also touched on the challenges associated with containing the spread of the Omicron strain due to its high contagiousness, noting that it is “the way viruses work.” (RELATED: Biden Says Omicron Variant Is ‘Cause For Concern, Not Cause For Panic,’ Defends Implementation Of Travel Restrictions)
“I think given what we know about the transmissibility and a likely transmissibility advantage of Omicron … once it gets in there, it will likely, under the radar screen, be spreading no matter what you do to keep people out or not,” Fauci stated.
During the Dec. 1 briefing, Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy asked Fauci why new testing requirements might be required for all people traveling into the U.S. but no new restrictions would apply to illegal immigrants.
“That’s a different issue,” Fauci replied.