Trump: Masks Cause Problems Too
BLITZER: Tonight, as the president pushes to reopen classrooms despite stunning spikes in infections across the United States, a House Committee says the White House is blocking the head of the CDC from testifying on the critically important issue of school reopenings. So let's bring in Dr. Leana Wen, the former Health Commissioner of Baltimore. Dr. Wen, thanks, so much, for joining us. The House Education Committee is accusing the White House of blocking CDC officials, including Dr. Robert Redfield, the head of the CDC, from testifying at a hearing on schools next week. Does it make it more difficult for parents and educators to have confidence in school- reopening plans if the top health officials in the country are barred from testifying on this critically important matter?</s>DR. LEANA WEN, FORMER BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH COMMISSIONER: Yes, it's inexplicable, Wolf. I just, really, cannot imagine what science reason, what actual reason there would be for blocking this. This should be the single-most important thing on our minds right now, how to ensure the health and wellbeing of our students, how to get our economy back up and running. Also, depends on schools being in operation. But it's not just about schools being back. We, also, have to reopen schools safely, or else they are just requesting to going to shut down again, and we're going to see outbreaks across the communities. And so, we really need to be hearing from our top public health experts here. And make no mistake, that there is a lot that needs to be done. We need to be suppressing the level of COVID-19 infections in communities across the country. We, also, have to critically have the resources in order to make our school safe, to follow the CDC guidelines. And I can completely imagine why Congress would want to hear from our top public health experts, in order to implement these guidelines, and figure out how many resources, what are the resources, we actually need to ensure the health and wellbeing of our students?</s>BLITZER: And not just students, the teachers, educators, everyone involved in getting these schools back in action. The president now says he will not, repeat not, issue a national mask mandate. Listen to what he just told Fox News. Listen to this.</s>CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Do you regret not wearing a mask, in public, from the start? And would you consider -- will you consider -- a national mandate that people need to wear masks?</s>DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, I want people to have a certain freedom, and I don't believe in that, no. And I don't agree with the statement that, if everybody wore a mask, everything disappears. Hey. Dr. Fauci said don't wear a mask. Our surgeon general, terrific guy, said, don't wear a mask. Everybody's saying, don't wear a mask. All of a sudden, everybody's got to wear a mask. And as you know, masks cause problems, too. With that being said, I am a believer in masks. I think masks are good.</s>BLITZER: The president says masks cause problems, too, Dr. Wen. Is that the message the White House should be promoting right now, as all of us are trying to fight this deadly virus?</s>WEN: No, it's not, Wolf. There needs to be a -- an agreement about the message. And that message needs to be one, based on science and public health. And, at this point, it's crystal clear that, if everyone wears a mask, that we will be able to reduce the risk of acquiring and transmitting COVID-19 by fivefold. So that's, absolutely, something that we should all do, right now.</s>BLITZER: It's absolutely essential. It's so easy to do it and thousands of Americans will live, in the coming months, if people just go ahead and simply wear a mask and do the other things that are required. Not difficult, as opposed to ignoring those recommendations. Dr. Leana Wen, thank you so much for joining us. We'll stay in close touch with you, as well. Just ahead, we're taking a closer look at the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on black and brown Americans. We'll be right back.