Phil Rizzuto

Coronavirus is so far back in the rear view mirror that I'm now tending to think it refers to Corona beer submerged in a tub of ice on a beach to be shared by many.

Dr. Fauci. Remember him? The man who looked like Phil Rizzuto who told an entire country to wear surgical masks over our mouths. And we listened.

At the time of the virus outbreak, Dr. Anthony Fauci was the longtime director of the Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases. Dr. Fauci had clout. He was a rock star.

Fast forward to 2026, and the good doctor is reduced to telling the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs that yes, Dr. Anthony Fauci is his name, but any further questions will not be answered by exercising his right to not incriminate himself, invoking the 5th Amendment over 100 times. Holy cow!

Anything that happens is because something else didn't happen. Enter Helen Branswell, a science reporter who saw Covid coming before everyone else. Ms. Branswell, at 69, has passed away, and is the subject of an extensive 6-column tribute obituary in the New York Times by Jeré Longman.

The above photo appearing in Ms. Branswell's obit, is of her, on the right, at panel discussion on Covid with others, including Dr. Fauci second from the right, in February 2020 at the Aspen Institute.

In the obit, Mr. Longman, recounts what to me is a baffling bit of conversation between Ms. Branswell and Dr. Fauci.

At the panel discussion, Dr. Fauci said that the risk of the coronavirus spreading was "relatively low," given that there were only 13 confirmed cases of Covid in the United States at the time.

Ms. Branswell is clearly skeptical. "Explain to me why the risk is low, somebody. Because to me, when I look at this virus spreading, it's spreading very efficiently. Like, there's no force field around China. It's not going to stop there."

Mr. Longman reports: This drew a blunter response rom Dr. Fauci. "Is there a risk that this is going to turn into a global pandemic? Absolutely, yes."

Huh? If that was his response, contradicting his earlier remarks that the risk of the virus spreading is "relatively low," Dr. Fauci should have taken the 5th then and there and saved us all a lot of trouble misunderstanding the virus.

Ms. Branswell was a highly respected science reporter, who had won the prestigious George Polk Award in 2020, and was cited by the judges for her "relentless coverage of all aspects of the pandemic that became must reading for the medical community and the general public." She was a 2021 finalist, with others, for the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news reporting for their "prescient expert and accessible work." Ms. Branswell first article citing a coronavirus came out on January 4, 2020.

When something happens, it is because something else didn't happen.

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