The chief medical advisor to the president, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said masks were not necessary one year ago Monday. His advice was overridden by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) four weeks later.
The CDC called on Americans to wear masks as late as July 14, 2020, in a press release. “Americans are increasingly adopting the use of cloth face masks to slow the spread of COVID-19, and the latest science may convince even more to do so,” the statement read.
The CDC said it “analyzed data from an internet survey of a national sample of 503 adults during April 7–9 and found that about 62% said they would follow the newly announced recommendations to wear a face mask when outside the home.” The CDC’s statement when on to say, “A repeat survey during May 11-13 showed that the percentage of adults endorsing face mask wearing increased to more than 76%.”
Dr. Fauci came under fire from the Trump administration for not taking the coronavirus seriously, refuting former President Trump’s flight ban from China in January 2020.
“So when you ask me whether I listen to Dr. Fauci’s advice, my answer is: only with skepticism and caution,” former White House Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter said after listing his concerns with Dr. Fauci in a USA Today Op-Ed, titled “Anthony Fauci Has Been Wrong About Everything I Have Interacted with Him On.”