WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The director of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, Dr. Robert Redfield, advised a Senate committee Wednesday it could probably be summer time or fall of 2021 earlier than most American might be vaccinated for COVID-19 and pushed for the continued use of masks calling them a “highly effective public well being software.”
Redfield made the feedback whereas testifying earlier than the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Well being and Human Companies, Schooling and Associated Businesses.
“These facemasks are an important, highly effective public well being software we now have,” Redfield mentioned. “I’d even go as far as to say that this facemask is extra assured to guard me in opposition to COVID than after I take a COVID vaccine.”
Redfield mentioned he hopes all Individuals will embrace masks saying, “we now have clear scientific proof that they work.”
“We haven’t received the acceptance, the private duty that we want for all Individuals to embrace this face masks,” Redfield mentioned whereas maintain up his masks.
On the subject of a vaccine, Redfield famous it could take many months to get a COVID shot to be distributed as soon as permitted. His feedback appeared to echo statements made final week by the nation’s main infectious illness skilled, Dr. Anthony Fauci.
“By the point you mobilize the distribution of the vaccine and get a majority or extra of the inhabitants vaccinated and guarded, that’s probably not going to occur till the top of 2021,” Fauci mentioned in an interview with MSNBC. “In the event you’re speaking about getting again to a level of normality previous to COVID, it’s going to be nicely into 2021, in the direction of the top of 2021.”
The listening to in entrance of a Senate committee comes a day after the CDC released a report on coronavirus deaths in children and young adults within the U.S.
The CDC discovered that there have been 121 deaths amongst folks youthful than age 21 from Feb. 21 via the top of July. Based on a report, there’s a disproportionate share of deaths amongst Black and Hispanic youth.
The CDC discovered 54 had been Hispanic, 35 had been Black, and 17 had been white, though total there are much more white Individuals than Black and Hispanic.
Three out of 4 deaths occurred amongst Black, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native individuals, .
“It’s actually fairly putting. It’s just like what we see in adults,” and should replicate many issues, together with that many important staff who should go to work are Black and Hispanic mother and father, mentioned Dr. Andrew Pavia, a pediatric infectious ailments skilled on the College of Utah. He was not concerned within the CDC examine.
The Related Press, Reuters and NewsNation contributed to this report.