This is perfect example of how dumb people are on this. The six feet social distancing recommendation came from the CDC not Fauci. And in classic Daily Mail fashion, that isn't a direct quote from his testimony either.
The CDC (and the WHO for that matter) was basing it on old droplet transmission research. The six foot cutoff was arbitrary, but not the idea that social distancing had lower epidemiological risk.
If you want to hold the CDC accountable. Hold the CDC accountable. IDGAF. But lord why is Fauci the universal stand-in for every effing thing.
If you actually care about the science on this matter if anything the six foot cutoff was too low. We now know the risk of SARS-COV-2 can be fairly high in an enclosed space over a long period of time with poor ventilation as aerosols can linger. But distance does have a meaningful effect on infection risk. It just isn't a total panacea against infection.
So it is sort of weird when people use this as some sort of victory lap.
The WHO chose 3 feet as the cutoff for its respective recommendation which was in line with the old research on when large droplets tended to fall. I believe the CDC wanted a longer cutoff, but the White House pushed back at the time.