Fauci responds to Nicki Minaj’s vaccine worries

Chief White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci responded to Nicki Minaj’s vaccine worries after her comments on Twitter sparked controversy on Monday.

The rap star explained her decision to not get the coronavirus vaccine, saying her cousin’s friend allegedly experienced reproductive issues after receiving the shot. 

“My cousin in Trinidad won’t get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding,” Minaj stated.

CNN’s Jake Tapper questioned Fauci about the tweet, asking whether there is any evidence that vaccines approved for use in the U.S. could cause such problems. 

“The answer to that, Jake, is a resounding no,” Fauci responded. “There’s no evidence that it happens, nor is there any mechanistic reason to imagine that it would happen, so the answer to your question is no.”

“She should be thinking twice about propagating information that really has no basis except a one-off anecdote, and that’s not what science is all about,” Fauci added. 

“The answer to that, Jake, is a resounding no” — asked about Nicki Minaj’s tweet regarding her cousin’s friend’s balls, Dr. Fauci says there’s no evidence the Covid vaccines cause reproductive issues pic.twitter.com/2wuqy14fDi

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 14, 2021

Tapper asked Fauci how difficult it is to combat misinformation that is espoused by popular celebrities such as Minaj, who has more than 22 million followers on Twitter alone. 

Fauci said it is “very difficult” and that the only way to counter misinformation is to “provide a lot of correct information” and “debunk these kinds of claims.”

Minaj was heavily criticized on Twitter for her remarks, with many saying it was more likely her cousin’s friend contracted a sexually transmitted disease.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was also asked about Minaj’s tweet Tuesday. He said he’s not “as familiar … as I probably should be” with the rap star but used the opportunity to encourage everyone to get vaccinated. 

Updated at 10:03 a.m.