Fauci discusses pandemic, work on task force during UNC-Chapel Hill commencement speech

Fauci commended graduates on how they've adjusted to learning during the pandemic.

"The way you have responded to the pandemic so far gives me confidence you will adjust and you will thrive," he told students in a pre-recorded message on Friday.

Fauci also encouraged graduates not to look away from societal issues, regardless of their career choice. He said that the pandemic highlighted some of the country's biggest failings, especially the health disparities among minority groups.

"This does not fade after we return to our so-called new normal," said Fauci, added that he urged graduates to commit to helping to reverse the trends.

Fauci also touched on his time working on Trump's COVID-19 task force during Friday's speech.

"In this capacity ... I tried to persuade the country to follow certain public health guidelines that could dampen the outbreak that was evolving, and continues to evolve, into the most devastating pandemic," he said.

He said that while the guidelines required restrictions that "were painful and had economic and personal consequence," the restrictions were "necessary and saved lives."

Fauci also discussed the divisiveness the pandemic has caused when it comes to social distancing and wearing a mask.

"I would have thought as a nation, we would have pulled together -- similar to what we had done following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 or even World War II -- however, sadly, that has not always happened," Fauci described. "Tragically, the pandemic has brought to the surface the intense and glaring divineness in our society that led to the practice of proven public health counter measures, such as wearing a mask or avoiding congregant settings, to take on a strong political connotation."

Fauci said that what has surprised him during the pandemic, and continues to frighten him, was "the willingness of so many people to believe in alternative facts and deny reality."

"Such as believing, or pretending to believe, that the almost 600,000 deaths from COVID-19 is fake news or a hoax," he added.

Fauci urged graduates, regardless of political affiliation, to put differences aside and come together.

"Please do not allow differences of opinion to lead to outright hostility," he added.

Fauci ended his commencement speech by discussing joy. He reminded students that the pandemic "will end and we will come out of this stronger than we were before this challenge.