Yes, when the virus was centered in China and had not come to America, he said that we had nohing to worry about. And, before science had documented a person to person transmission, he reported that it had not been noted. But, in every case, he noted that the information was evolving. He said that scientist, like himself, should monitor the virus daily. As the pool of information has grown, he has added to his input. That is how scientists talk among themselves. They are open to new information, that changes their assessments and recommendations.
It should be noted that Dr. Fauci was not and is not the President. And, at the time he was monitoring the virus, reporting its developments and recommending responses appropriate to our understanding of it, President Pandemic was telling us it would soon disappear "like magic." While Dr. Fauci recommends a response appropriate to a pandemic whose growth is now out of control, President Pandemic recently said again that he beliieves it will disappear, "like magic."
For the record, magic is an illusion, just like President Pandemic's leadership skills.