The chief epidemiologist said he will step down from those responsibilities with the Joe Biden administration to move on to the next chapter of his career and continue to contribute to the advancement of science and public health.

“Although I am stepping down from my current positions, I am not going to retire,” Fauci said in a statement quoted today in The Hill newspaper.

Fauci, 81, has led the National Institute for 38 years and has advised every president since the Reagan administration (1981-1989).

The expert led the fight against new and re-emerging infectious disease threats such as HIV/AIDS, West Nile virus, Ebola, Zika and more recently the Covid-19 pandemic.

The prominent researcher had several public disagreements with former president Donald Trump (2017-2021) regarding the strategy to combat the health emergency caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Fauci’s adoption of mitigation measures, such as the use of masks and the temporary closure of businesses at the beginning of the pandemic, made him a villain to conservatives, and threats made him need a security service, he recalls.

In addition, the adviser had disagreements with Republicans in Congress, who want an investigation into the Biden administration’s response to the pandemic and who insisted that his decision to leave office will not protect him from possible investigations.

In a statement, Biden called the expert a dedicated public servant who helped guide the country through some of the most dangerous and challenging health crises.

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