Senator (Dr ) Rand Paul Questions the "Angel of Death" on Lockdown, Herd Immunity Scenarios

Paul said the COVID-19 death toll in the US — now more than 200,000 as the nation continues to lead the world in both cases and fatalities — would be the same if no shutdown measures were ever enforced by state leaders.

Dr. Anthony Fauci rejected Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul's claims during a tense exchange at Wednesday's coronavirus-response hearing on Capitol Hill.

He added that New York has had a low infection rate since its peak because New York City reached herd immunity, which occurs when enough of a population is immune to a disease that its transmission wanes.

"How can we possibly be jumping up and down and saying, 'Oh, Gov. Cuomo did a great job.' He had the worst death rate in the world," Paul said.