Dr Fauci Mansplains

A story over the weekend gave an insight into how Dr Fauci's mind works (as a guy I once knew would say, "But who would want to have that?"):

Anthony Fauci, a world-respected figure during the coronavirus crisis, said experts at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) were examining a Massachusetts study that found "no substantial difference" in COVID cases in schools observing six-foot and three-foot rules.

Asked on CNN's "State of the Union" show whether that meant that a three-foot separation was sufficient, Fauci replied, "It does, indeed."

"The CDC is very well aware that data are accumulating making it look more like three feet are OK under certain circumstances," Fauci added.

While cautioning that the CDC was still weighing the data and conducting its own tests, he said its findings would come "soon." o be six feet of distance in the first place?

But wait a moment. For the past year, we've been told that six feet is what "the science" says we need to maintain. It is simply no surprise any more to see public sidewalks, at least in California, with six-foot calibrations painted on them. Stores, banks, vending machines, supermarkets, and now vaccination clinics, all have variations on footprints, figures with arrows, and so forth painted on the floor reminding people to maintain six feet of social distance. It will be years before these wear away.

The CDC "experts" cited in the link above came up with this. Since last spring, there's been a concursus bonorum that we need to maintain six feet of social distance and wear masks -- indeed, better two masks at once. All of a sudden, the "experts" (their word, not mine) conducted a study, and "under certain circumstances', three feet is OK. But if you think about it, unless you're on a crowded subway or something, three feet is just comfortable distance any time, pandemic or no.

It's called "personal space", and if someone gets closer, they have to have a reason to invade it. At least, back in the day. So basically, after a year of crazy, some experts actually conducted a study that said if people observe ordinary public decorum, rather than arbitrarily doubling comfortable social distance, that's just as good in stopping the spread.

In other words, Dr Fauci just said, taking many, many extra words to say it, that someone finally did "the science" and discovered six feet of social distance wasn't needed. "Under certain circumstances". Baloney.

I'm not the only one to see this. According to this story, former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said on CNN Friday,

This six-foot distancing requirement has probably been the single costliest mitigation tactic that we've employed in response to COVID... and it really wasn't based on clear science... we should have readjucated this much earlier.

All those sidewalk calibrations and floor stickers? Never mind.

But notice that Dr Fauci is warning us not to go overboard. The CDC will be reevaluating all this, but they've got to chew every bite 29 times before they swallow. When will they finish their tests?

Soon.