Dr Anthony Fauci, face of US pandemic response, to step down

Dr Anthony Fauci served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for nearly four decades and has worked in government service for more than 50 years [File: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]

Dr Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the United States who emerged as the public face of the country’s COVID-19 pandemic response, has announced that he will step down in December.

Fauci said in a statement on Monday that he will leave both his post as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), as well as that of top medical adviser to President Joe Biden, to “pursue the next phase” of his career.