Dr. Anthony Fauci has recently become a familiar face for many Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. As of May 1, Fauci is one of the leading members of the White House’s Coronavirus Task Force and is often seen at President Trump’s press conferences. 

Fauci grew up being the delivery boy for his family-owned pharmacy in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Regis High School in Manhattan, where he was very active in sports and had a successful basketball career.

Fauci attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester and then Cornell Medical School, where he graduated top of his class. After college, Fauci quickly worked his way up the ranks up in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). In 1984, he was appointed director of NIAID. Since then, he has been in charge of many public health crises, such as HIV, SARS, Swine Flu, MERS, Ebola and now COVID-19. Since the presidency of Ronald Regan in 1981, Fauci has been an adviser to every U.S. president. 

Fauci has achieved quite a few accomplishments in his career. Not only has he earned multiple doctorate degrees, but he has also received a National Medal of Honor and American Association of Immunologists Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Since the current pandemic, Fauci has received national fame and has built quite a fan base. Fauci’s name has appeared in numerous TikToks, memes and YouTube videos. He even appeared on the popular Barstool podcast, “Pardon my Take” by Dan Katz. There was also a Saturday Night Live parody made in his honor. Currently, Dr. Fauci T-shirts, socks and doughnuts are available for sale online at retailers like Amazon and Etsy.

In a recent national survey done by Quinnipiac, Dr. Fauci received a 78 percent approval rating with only seven percent disapproving of the job he has done. His popularity lies in his level-headed advice and vast knowledge he has of infectious disease. He is not only urging Americans to wash their hands and to socially distance, he is also overseeing and understanding the research that needs to be done to beat the coronavirus. Outside of work, Fauci enjoys running and fishing. He is currently married, has three daughters and resides in Washington D.C.