Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told a Senate committee Wednesday that he believes face masks are “the most important, powerful public health tool we have” to fight COVID-19—and even better than a potential vaccine. “This face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine because the immunogenicity may be 70 percent and if I don’t get an immune response the vaccine’s not going to protect me,” Redfield said. He strongly recommended all Americans wear face masks, especially young people who continue to spike the curve of infections. Redfield also told the committee most Americans probably wouldn’t be vaccinated against COVID-19 until summer or early autumn 2021.
