Healthcare
‘You parade around in a mask for show’: Rand Paul tells Fauci during hearing

National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky testified Thursday with other federal officials on the COVID-19 response.
In an exchange at a hearing on the nation’s coronavirus response, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul pushed back against Fauci’s claim that masks should be required for every American, including those who are already immune from COVID-19.
“There have been no reports of significant numbers of reinfections after acquiring COVID-19 naturally,” Sen. Paul said.
Paul went on to cite numerous studies that had significant evidence of long-term immunity after COVID infection.
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“So rather than being pessimistic towards people gaining immunity after they’ve had COVID, or had a vaccine, studies argue for significant optimism,” Paul told Dr. Fauci. “In fact, there have been no scientific studies arguing, or proving, that infection with COVID does not create immunity.”
“Given that no scientific studies have shown significant numbers of reinfections of patients previously infected, or previously vaccinated, what specific studies do you cite to argue that the public should be wearing masks well into 2022?” Paul asked Fauci. “If we’re not spreading the infection, isn’t it just theater? You have the vaccine and you’re wearing two masks, isn’t that theater?”
“Here we go again with the theater,” Fauci replied growing frustrated.
Fauci argued that the variants of the disease which are now circulating require every American to wear masks.
“What proof is there that there is significant reinfections with hospitalizations and deaths from the variants? None in our country. Zero,” Paul replied. “You’re making a policy based on conjecture.”
“You’ve been vaccinated and you parade around in a mask for show. You can’t get it again!” Paul exclaimed. “You’re defying everything we know about immunity by telling people to wear masks who have been vaccinated.”
Fauci responded, “Let me just state for the record masks are not theater. Masks are protective.”
Watch the full video here.
Follow Annaliese Levy on Twitter @AnnalieseLevy

Nation
West Virginia legislature outlaws gender-affirming care for minors

A bill that bans gender-affirming care for minors in West Virginia is now on the desk of GOP Gov. Jim Justice. West Virginia, along with eight other states in the nation, have passed legislation that would ban the controversial gender-affirming care for all minors under the age of 18.
The legislation is aimed at banning what many conservatives and child advocates say is dangerous medical procedures that can rarely be reversed. As of yet, Gov. Justice has not made a public statement on the legislation but many parents are becoming more vocal about opposing the extreme process of transitioning before the age of 18.
Recently at CPAC, detransitioner Chloe Cole spoke out against a very painful decision that allowed her parents to approve transitioning from a female to a male starting at the age of 12, as stated in the The Daily Signal.
“Cole, who began detransitioning at 17 and since has gone on to oppose gender transition in minors, spoke to The Daily Signal about how transgender ideology is pushed on children and parents almost everywhere.
The health care system quickly foisted the transition process on her, Cole says.
“I was 12 when I started socially transitioning,” Cole recalled. “And at 13, I was diagnosed with [gender] dysphoria and put on puberty blockers and testosterone. And at 15, when I was just a sophomore in high school, I had a double mastectomy, my breasts removed.”
She said she “stopped transitioning” at 16.”
A study conducted by UCLA in 2017 showed that West Virginia had more trans-youth per capita then any other state in the nation.
West Virginia isn’t the only state pushing bills on banning gender-affirming care for minors though. Montana recently passed senate bill 99 which was introduced by GOP Sen. John Fuller that bans all gender-affirming care for minors in order to allow time for those minors to evaluate wether or not they are experiencing gender dysphoria.
Puzzling, but every major medical organization supports gender-affirming care for minors despite the very real questions surrounding the process before the age of 18. It’s puzzling because scientists agree, for the most part, that evidences that a human being’s decision making part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, does not fully develop until mid to late 20s. The question then is how can a minor make such an extreme decision when it comes to the life altering consequences of transitioning from one gender to another.
Furthermore, the bill will outlaw anyone under the age of 18 from being prescribed hormone therapy and fully reversible medication for suspending the physical changes of puberty. The bill will also ban all gender-affirming surgeries for children under the age of 18. Gender-affirming surgeries include facial surgeries, top surgeries and bottom surgeries, according to the legislation.
In an update to the bill that was pushed by Senate Majority leader Tom Takubo, some transgender youth will be allowed to continue receiving medical interventions if the gender dysphoria they are experiencing is severe enough.
You can follow Alexander Carter on Twitter @AlexCarterDC
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