Dr Fauci has barely appeared in public since a dire warning about reopening too fast, as the White House focuses relentless on the economy

• Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US expert on infectious diseases, has been conspicuously absent from the airwaves in recent week.
• Fauci was a frequent guest on cable news during the height of the pandemic, but has not given a broadcast media interview for nearly three weeks, noted CNN.
• Fauci was criticised by Trump last week after warning of the dangers of lifting lockdown measures too soon in testimony to a US Senate committee.
• In recent weeks the White House has sought to shift the narrative to focus on Trump's efforts to revive the US economy.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has largely vanished from the airwaves in recent weeks.

Fauci — among the members of the White House coronavirus task force most trusted by the US public— was until recently a frequent guest on US cable news networks.

He delivered sober analysis of the US response to the coronavirus crisis, and appeared increasingly out of step with President Donald Trump as the White House became more and more eager to restart the US economy.

As noted by CNN, Fauci has not appeared on TV since May 4, when he was interviewed by the network's prime-time host Chris Cuomo.

And people are beginning to notice.

Fauci has been under "modified quarantine" since May 10 after coming into contact with a coronavirus positive White House staffer, meaning he is doing most of his work at home or by video link.

But this didn't stop him addressing the US Senate by video on May 13, where he cautioned against measures championed by President Donald Trump to reopen the US economy, warning of "serious consequences" if states lift lockdown too early.

The comments drew a rebuke from Trump, who accused Fauci of wanting "to play all sides of the equation."

—CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 15, 2020

On Friday he appeared in public for the first time in weeks, standing near Trump at a White House press briefing.

At the briefing, Trump introduced a plan to deliver a coronavirus vaccine in record time, called "Operation Warp Speed."

Fauci was wearing a protective mask and did not speak, even though he had given his thoughts on coronavirus vaccines before.

Over the weekend he was absent from the cable news morning slots.

Fauci's absence from the airwaves has been of particular note given promising news of a potential coronavirus vaccine this week, developed by NIAID scientists working in partnership with pharmaceuticals firm Moderna.

—Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 20, 2020

Fauci has not been been totally silent in recent days.

He gave comments on Wednesday to The Washington Post, expressing concerns about the name "Operation Warp Speed."

Fauci expressed concerns that the term could be misconstrued, leading people to worry that any vaccine was being rolled out at an unsafe pace.

He also delivered a video message this week at a virtual med school graduation.

—NBC News (@NBCNews) May 21, 2020

Maggie Haberman, the star White House correspondent at The New York Times, noted on Twitter that Fauci had been appearing in the media far less lately.

She said that there had been a notable change since Trump's media team took control of the coronavirus response communications operation.

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