Following a high-profile Senate hearing involving Dr Anthony Fauci, a viral social media rumor incorrectly claimed that a 2008 research paper co-authored by him linked 1918 Spanish flu deaths to mask usage.
WASHINGTON, DC: In the wake of intense political scrutiny and a contentious Senate appearance by Dr Anthony Fauci, social media platforms became saturated with a misleading narrative. Online posts alleged that a historical study co-written by Fauci concluded that the majority of fatalities during the 1918 influenza pandemic were actually caused by wearing face coverings.
The rumor specifically targets a 2008 scientific publication that investigated how bacterial pneumonia contributed to deaths during the Spanish flu. However, internet users distorted these findings, falsely claiming the research blamed masks for secondary infections.
Claim: Anthony Fauci linked Spanish flu deaths to masks
According to widespread online assertions, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases co-authored a paper stating that most victims of the 1918 flu did not succumb to the virus itself, but rather to bacterial pneumonia brought on by masks.
This narrative gained traction after a Facebook post featured an image promoting the distorted claim. The post provoked sharp criticism online, with many questioning why a public health official who allegedly understood the risks of masks would later advocate for them during the COVID-19 pandemic. While some users accepted the claim at face value, others expressed doubt, prompting closer investigation.
Fact Check: Anthony Fauci’s paper makes no mention of masks
A review of the actual scientific literature reveals that while Dr Fauci did co-author a study addressing bacterial pneumonia during the Spanish flu, the publication contains zero references to masks and never suggests that face coverings caused infections.
The peer-reviewed article, titled ‘Predominant Role of Bacterial Pneumonia as a Cause of Death in Pandemic Influenza: Implications for Pandemic Influenza Preparedness’, was published in 2008 by ‘The Journal of Infectious Diseases.’
Reputable news organizations found no evidence supporting the online claims. Furthermore, when questioned about this exact rumor by the Associated Press in 2023, Fauci firmly rejected the premise. Consequently, the claim has been thoroughly debunked as false.
Anthony Fauci’s tense Senate hearing
The resurgence of this debunked theory follows a heated congressional session on July 29. During the hearing, led by Republican Senator Rand Paul, lawmakers questioned Dr Fauci regarding federal pandemic policies, government-funded research, virus origins, and document retention. In response to the line of questioning, Fauci repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment rights.
Throughout the proceedings, Fauci maintained that the prevailing scientific data from the pandemic era supported the hypothesis of a natural origin for the virus, though he noted that the scientific community remains open to ongoing investigation.