Anthony Fauci refuses to answer questions during tense US Senate hearing about Covid origins

The former top health official was one of the most trusted members of the US government during its response to the pandemic as scientists were trying to learn about the virus as quickly as possible.

Former top US health official Anthony Fauci has refused to answer questions at a tense US Senate hearing on Covid-19, saying he feared Republicans would try to use his testimony to prosecute him for perjury.

The origins of the pandemic have been a matter of strong debate in the US, including between Trump, who was in office when it began in 2020, and public health officials, including Fauci.