Psaki on Dr. Osterholm Saying Cloth Masks Don’t Work: Other Experts Think They Do

REPORTER: “Secretary Cardona yesterday he mentioned —“
PSAKI: “Sure.”
REPORTER: “— that with Governor DeSantis that he was concerned about the E.O. he did regarding public schools on masks. And he said we know what works, but one of the president top Covid advisers, Michael Osterholm, just recently —“
PSAKI: “Who’s not a current adviser to the president.”
REPORTER: “Not a current but — but was, so notable, right?”
PSAKI: “Go ahead.”
REPORTER: “He said in a television interview this week regarding mask wearing, specifically the cloth masks like so many of us are wearing here and what the kids are wearing in school, right, largely, he said it’s — the scientific community has been doing a disservice to the public on face coverings. He said that cloth masks like these have very limited impact on the amount of virus that you inhale or you exhale out. And he also said that he is really disappointed in his colleagues for not making that more clear to the public. And that’s sort of in line with the study that Governor DeSantis is citing as the basis for his executive order. So how do you respond to that?”
PSAKI: “I think you’re confusing a few things there. But let me first say that Osterholm is not an adviser to the president, to the administration, to the White House. He doesn’t work here. He is a private citizen and a medical — a public health expert, but a lot of public health experts are out there speaking and good for them. I will say that we are going to continue to rely on the advice of medical experts in the federal government on what kind of masks we all should wear, what kind of masks kids should wear and if they change that advice then the Department of Education will be working with schools to make sure that’s implemented as a mitigation measure. The issue we have taken with the guidance of Governor DeSantis, which he of course is fundraising off of I think we should note is that he is preventing schools and teachers and others from protecting themselves and the students in their classroom. And as a mother myself, that’s concerning, and I’m sure it is concerning to mothers in Florida. I think we’re going to have to continue. Go ahead. I think we have got to continue. Go ahead. You had a very long question. We’ve got to continue. Go ahead. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”