CNN’s Burnett: Fauci and Osterholm Made Statements about Cloth Masks That Are Similar to Rand Paul’s

On Wednesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “OutFront,” host Erin Burnett pointed out that both White House Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and former adviser to President Joe Biden’s transition team Dr. Michael Osterholm have made statements about the effectiveness of cloth masks that are similar to the statements on cloth masks that got Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) YouTube account suspended.

Burnett began the discussion by stating, “Back in early 2020, obviously before the Delta variant, Dr. Fauci did say in an email, ‘The typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out virus, which is small enough to pass through the material.'”

After CNN Political Commentator Scott Jennings said Osterholm has made statements about cloth masks that are similar to Paul’s, Burnett said, “I will point out, Sen. Paul did say, in the video, not the part that YouTube says they’re banning him for, but in the video, that he believes N95 masks do work, and, as Scott points out, other medical experts, including Dr. Osterholm, are now raising red flags about cloth masks.”

Burnett then played a clip of Osterholm saying during an August 2, 2021 appearance on CNN that “many of the face cloth coverings that people wear are not very effective in reducing any of the virus movement in or out.”

Burnett later stated that Paul “has flouted COVID guidance,” numerous times, particularly on masks, and asked Jennings if that “context” is relevant to YouTube’s decision.

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett