Senator Rand Paul called Director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci a "petty tyrant" for suggesting that Americans who have already been vaccinated against COVID-19 should not visit indoor cafes and restaurants.
Paul took to Twitter to oppose Fauci's statement.
Fauci appeared on MSNBC on Sunday, saying that the "dynamic of infection" is still very high, which means that even those who have been vaccinated "still have to be careful and not get involved in crowded situations, particularly indoors where people are not wearing masks."
As of 12 April, an estimated 40 percent of US adults have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, the White House COVID-19 Task Force reported. Depending on the speed of the coronavirus vaccination rollout in each state, local authorities decide on whether or not to ease restrictions.
Paul and Fauci have repeatedly clashed over COVID-related measures since the outbreak of the pandemic. For example, Paul insisted that masks were unnecessary for vaccinated people and also said the US could get through the pandemic without lockdowns thanks to herd immunity. Fauci argued that because of new strains appearing in different parts of the world, wearing masks should still be obligatory and that the number of US citizens who have already had COVID is not enough to facilitate herd immunity.