They say a lie can travel around the world while the truth is still lacing up its boots. Part of the reason these things are viral is because their ridiculous nature demands attention. And that attention alone is enough to generate influence.
2. At that time, information about Covid was changing somewhat rapidly. By the time he testified to Congress weeks later, he may well have had better information. (Look, I am very much not a Fauci apologist. But you need to do better than this at finding reasons to condemn him.)
2. You seem to think I need to do better than this, but if this were a trial what I have provided is sufficient to establish motive. The dude wanted to be famous, and didn't mind who died to get him there or what kind of lies he needed to tell to climb that mountain.