Anthony Fauci awarded $1 million Israeli prize for ‘defending science’
Dr. Anthoy Fauci is $1 million richer.
The esteemed immunologist, who has served as the COVID-19 point man for Donald Trump and President Biden, has received Israel’s acclaimed Dan David Prize for “defending science,” reported BBC News.
“Congratulations to Dr. Anthony Fauci, global leader in research and control of infectious diseases . . . for being award the 2021 Dan David Prize in Public Health,” the organization tweeted on Monday.
In addition to being lauded for advocating coronavirus vaccines, the 80-year-old medical expert was honored for his leadership on AIDS relief and HIV research.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic unravelled, [he] leveraged his considerable communication skills to address people gripped by fear and anxiety and worked relentlessly to inform individuals in the United States and elsewhere about the public-health measures essential for containing the pandemic’s spread,” read a Dan David statement. “In addition, he has been widely praised for his courage in speaking truth to power in a highly charged political environment.”
Since Trump’s White House departure, Fauci has claimed the former presidential administration blocked his appearance on several mainstream media outlets, including “The Rachel Maddow Show.”
Congratulations to Dr. Anthony Fauci, global leader in research and control of infectious diseases and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases @NIAIDNews and Public Health hero, for being awarded the 2021 @DanDavidPrize in Public Health @TelAvivUni pic.twitter.com/iDvWHiNSZ5
— Dan David Prize (@DanDavidPrize) February 15, 2021
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984, helped found George W. Bush’s AIDS initiative in Africa, according to the BBC.
The prize, which was established in 2000 by the late Romanian-born businessman Dan David, awards three $1 million stipends annually for those who have contributed to society.
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Previous winners have included Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, “The Handmaid’s Tale” novelist Margaret Atwood and environmentalist Al Gore.
Globally, more than 2.4 million people have died from COVID-19, according to health tracker Johns Hopkins University. As of Tuesday, nearly 488,000 in the U.S. have succumbed to the deadly disease. Approximately one in every five people on Earth to die of the disease has been an American.
