Sometimes, as America's leading infectious disease specialist, you have no choice but to comment on Nicki Minaj's cousin's friend's balls.
Yes, the doubly viral mess that is the rapper's recent tweet claiming that her cousin's friend's balls swelled from getting a COVID vaccine has reverberated to the highest heights of international public health.
Now, both Dr. Anthony Fauci and Trinidad & Tobago Minister of Health, the Honourable Terrence Deyalsingh, have been forced to debunk Minaj's claims that her cousin in Trinidad's friend's testicles swelled up and he became impotent after he was vaccinated.
CNN's Jake Tapper asked for Fauci's input when the expert appeared on The Lead to address far more pressing concerns — namely, the safety of returning to schools and when children under 12 will be eligible for vaccination. During the segment, Tapper also inquired if there is any evidence of the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines causing reproductive issues.
"The answer to that, Jake, is a resounding no," Fauci said.
"There is no evidence that it happens, nor is there any mechanistic reason to imagine that it would happen," he explained, adding that the only way to counter the rampant spread of misinformation is to debunk these claims with correct information.
"I'm not blaming [Minaj] for anything," Fauci continued, "but she should be thinking twice about propagating information that really has no basis except as a one-off anecdote. That's not what science is all about."
The Honourable Deyalsingh also had to debunk the repercussions of Minaj's outspoken Twitter fingers.
"There has been no such reported — either side effect or adverse event," Trinidad & Tobago's Minister of Health said in a virtual media conference today. "And what was sad about this is that it wasted our time yesterday — because we take all these claims seriously, whether it's on social media or mainstream media."
Deyalsingh added: "As we stand now, there is absolutely no reported such side effect or adverse event of testicular swelling in Trinidad or, I dare say, anywhere else — none that we know of anywhere else in the world."
Sounds like Minaj's cousin's friend has some explaining to do. Also, he should really see a doctor.
Watch video clips of both Fauci and Deyalsingh disputing the rapper's (cousin's friend's) claims below.
Yes, the doubly viral mess that is the rapper's recent tweet claiming that her cousin's friend's balls swelled from getting a COVID vaccine has reverberated to the highest heights of international public health.
Now, both Dr. Anthony Fauci and Trinidad & Tobago Minister of Health, the Honourable Terrence Deyalsingh, have been forced to debunk Minaj's claims that her cousin in Trinidad's friend's testicles swelled up and he became impotent after he was vaccinated.
CNN's Jake Tapper asked for Fauci's input when the expert appeared on The Lead to address far more pressing concerns — namely, the safety of returning to schools and when children under 12 will be eligible for vaccination. During the segment, Tapper also inquired if there is any evidence of the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines causing reproductive issues.
"The answer to that, Jake, is a resounding no," Fauci said.
"There is no evidence that it happens, nor is there any mechanistic reason to imagine that it would happen," he explained, adding that the only way to counter the rampant spread of misinformation is to debunk these claims with correct information.
"I'm not blaming [Minaj] for anything," Fauci continued, "but she should be thinking twice about propagating information that really has no basis except as a one-off anecdote. That's not what science is all about."
The Honourable Deyalsingh also had to debunk the repercussions of Minaj's outspoken Twitter fingers.
"There has been no such reported — either side effect or adverse event," Trinidad & Tobago's Minister of Health said in a virtual media conference today. "And what was sad about this is that it wasted our time yesterday — because we take all these claims seriously, whether it's on social media or mainstream media."
Deyalsingh added: "As we stand now, there is absolutely no reported such side effect or adverse event of testicular swelling in Trinidad or, I dare say, anywhere else — none that we know of anywhere else in the world."
Sounds like Minaj's cousin's friend has some explaining to do. Also, he should really see a doctor.
Watch video clips of both Fauci and Deyalsingh disputing the rapper's (cousin's friend's) claims below.
