Here is an excerpt from page 3,027 of the Leopold V NIH FOIA release of Dr. Fauci's emails:
From: Fauci, Anthony (NIH/NIAID) [E]
Sent: Wed, 5 Feb 2020 03:48:11 +0000
To: Sylvia Burwell
Subject: RE: A couple of quick questions.
Sylvia:
Masks are really for infected people to prevent infection from spreading to people who are not infected rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection. The typical mask you buy at the drug store is not really effective in keeping out the virus, which is small enough to pass through the material. It might, however, provide some slight benefit to keep out gross droplets if someone coughs or sneezes on you. I do not recommend that you wear a mask particularly since you are going to a very low risk location. Your instincts are correct, money is best spent on medical countermeasures like diagnostics and vaccines.
Here is an excerpt from page 3,027 of the Leopold V NIH FOIA release of Dr. Fauci's emails:
From: Fauci, Anthony (NIH/NIAID) [E]
Sent: Wed, 5 Feb 2020 03:48:11 +0000
To: Sylvia Burwell
Subject: RE: A couple of quick questions.
Sylvia:
Masks are really for infected people to prevent infection from spreading to people who are not infected rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection. The typical mask you buy at the drug store is not really effective in keeping out the virus, which is small enough to pass through the material. It might, however, provide some slight benefit to keep out gross droplets if someone coughs or sneezes on you. I do not recommend that you wear a mask particularly since you are going to a very low risk location. Your instincts are correct, money is best spent on medical countermeasures like diagnostics and vaccines.
Best regards,
Tony