White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the leading health experts during the country’s fight against the pandemic, underwent surgery on his vocal cords Thursday and is recovering at home, according to a person close to the infectious disease expert.
The 79-year-old Fauci underwent surgery to remove a polyp that can cause hoarseness, the person said.
He’s expected to be back online by Friday and back at work running the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases by Monday, according to an agency spokeswoman.
CNN contributor Dr. Sanjay Gupta tweeted that Fauci told him he was doing well. Doctors have suggested Fauci “curtail his talking for a while to allow his vocal cords to recover,” according to Gupta’s tweet.
Fauci, a member of the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force, has made numerous, almost daily appearances since the beginning of the U.S. outbreak, speaking to George Washington University in a virtual Q&A as recently as Wednesday.
His advice has made him somewhat of a celebrity in recent months, at times publicly contradicting President Donald Trump’s position on reopening the economy and calling for the universal wearing of face coverings. Fauci has also worked closely on developing a Covid-19 vaccine in his role at the NIAID.
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