Today Dr. Robert Redfield said something that clearly draws a line in the sand between him and the president. During a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing into coronavirus response, the Director of the CDC was asked about how Donald Trump has rejected advice from health experts to issue a mask mandate. Here was Redfield’s reply:
“These face masks are the most important, powerful health tool we have and I will continue to appeal to all Americans, all individuals in our country to embrace these face coverings. I’ve said it, if we did it for 6, 8, 10, 12 weeks we’d bring this pandemic under control. We have clear scientific evidence they work and they are our best defense. I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine, because the immunogenicity may be 70%.”
Here’s the full exchange.
Redfield also made more news regarding vaccines. While the president keeps saying a vaccine may be out soon, perhaps even before the election. Redfield testified that he doesn’t think it will be available to the general public until “late second quarter, third quarter 2021.”