RUSH: I was reading the audio sound bite roster before the program, and this is where I saw Dr. Fauci. It was Shepard Smith on CNBC, The News with Shepard Smith. I shouldn’t point this out. I shouldn’t. But, Mr. Snerdley, have you heard that Shepard’s ratings over at CNBC — (interruption)

— They’re not doing well. Like bottom of the… I mean, it was really the lowest-rated show. I’m sorry to point it out. I’ve got nothing against Shepard. I couldn’t care less. (sigh) But, anyway, Dr. Fauci was on The News with Shepard Smith. He asked Fauci about the recent spike in coronavirus cases, and this was the conversation…

SMITH: In Melbourne, they had a 111-day lockdown. Started with 20,000 cases a day, and two days ago they had zero cases. Why can’t we do that?

FAUCI: When you talk about lockdowns, that certainly they were extremely successful. What Melbourne did, what Australia did as a country was very successful. I was on the phone with my Australian colleagues two nights ago, and they were describing exactly what you said.

RUSH: God forbid. Folks, if… (chuckles) “In Melbourne, they had a 111-day lockdown. Started with 20,000 cases a day, and two days ago they had zero cases. Why can’t we do that?” Shep asks. We could, Shep. We can destroy the economy and take the world economy with us. We could do that. There’s no reason to do it! The mortality rate for COVID-19 is plummeting.

The death rate is way down. There isn’t any reason for this panic. There isn’t any reason for this. One-hundred-and-eleven days of lockdown? We’ve been there, done that. We destroyed livelihoods. We blew up people’s dreams. We still have parts of cities and towns boarded up. I don’t even know if Shepard’s right here. I think it might have been New Zealand that shut down for 111 days.

Regardless where it was, it isn’t necessary, and they’re gonna face a spike. If you shut down for 111 days, you’re not getting rid of the virus. You are not destroying the virus. You’re not wiping it out. When you reopen after 111 days, you’re gonna have a spike. You’re gonna have a COVID spike. All they’re doing is delaying the inevitable.