Anthony Fauci refuses to answer questions during US Senate hearing about Covid origins

Core point

Anthony Fauci, the former leader of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, invoked the Fifth Amendment during a US Senate hearing regarding the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. He expressed concerns that Republican lawmakers might use his testimony against him for perjury. Fauci stated that he had previously testified about Covid under oath at several congressional hearings. He claimed that Senator Rand Paul's obsession with prosecuting him influenced his decision to refrain from answering questions.