PBS’ new documentary about Dr. Anthony Fauci features a scene in which Fauci and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) visit the Anacostia neighborhood to encourage residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine in an effort to combat vaccine hesitancy.
But the door-to-door effort prompted harsh blowback from one resident, who accused Fauci on camera of trying to incite fear in the population.
PBS’ documentary Dr. Tony Fauci, which is part of the network’s American Masters series, is set to debut Tuesday. In the scene, the unnamed man tells Fauci and Bowser that he won’t get the vaccine.
“People in America are not settled with the information that has been given to us right now,” he said. “So I’m not going to be lining up to be taking a shot on a vaccination for something that wasn’t clear in the first place.”
The man refuses to believe Fauci and Bowser’s arguments for taking the vaccine, even casting doubt on their motives.
“When you start talking about paying people to get vaccinated, when you start talking about incentivizing people to get vaccinated, something else is going on with that,” he said.
He added: “Your campaign is about fear. It’s about inciting fear in people. You all attack people with fear. That’s what this pandemic is. It’s fear, this pandemic. That’s all it is.”
Hellbound and Down 