It's not vaccine vs. mask. We need both

Hancock refuses to rule out second U.K. lockdown Goldman sends traders home after case in Manhattan Thailand has first coronavirus death since early June It's not vaccine versus mask. We need both Vaccine versus mask became a point of Covid-control contention this week. In Senate testimony Wednesday, U.S. Centers for Disease Control Director Robert Redfield said face masks are the most important, powerful public health tool we have. "I might even go so far to say that this mask may be more guaranteed to protect me against Covid than when I take a Covid vaccine," he said. Redfield also noted that he thinks a vaccine won't allow a return to regular life until mid-2021. His boss begs to differ. At a news conference later that day, President Donald Trump said Redfield was mistaken on both fronts, called masks a "mixed bag," claimed that Covid-19 vaccines will be "extremely strong" and predicted that mass inoculation would begin "very soon."  Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, speaks before the Senate on Wednesday. Photographer: Andrew Harnik/AP Photo Redfield has it right. There's broad consensus that properly worn masks offer protection against infection and transmission. We know little about when vaccines will become available or how well they will work. The answer to the mask vs. vaccine question is "both"; face coverings will remain essential in risky settings well into next year, even when shots become widely available. The 2020 case to keep masking is obvious; there won't be enough vaccines at first whenever one succeeds. Drugmakers are scrambling to manufacture shots, but leading candidates require two doses, and early supply won't match massive demand. The notion of wearing a mask post-vaccination may be harder to swallow. While vaccines are essential to beating the pandemic and saving lives, Redfield's point is that they aren't magic. Food and Drug Administration guidance says a Covid vaccine must prove 50% more effective than a placebo to receive approval. The main target for leading vaccine trials is preventing symptomatic disease, not infection. A vaccine may be approved without evidence that it keeps people from contracting or spreading the virus. Even if a vaccine is 70% effective in damping disease, a significant minority of those vaccinated will still be at some risk. Add the lingering possibility of passing the virus to others, and you get a compelling case to cover your face until its spread is firmly quashed.—Max Nisen Track the virus Counting U.S. Covid Deaths in Your Community Eight months after the first case of the new coronavirus was reported in the U.S., the death toll is on the verge of surpassing 200,000, the highest of any country in the world. A surge in cases during the summer pushed the death count higher, even after early, deadly outbreaks in Seattle and New York City were largely controlled. Thirty-two states have reported more than 1,000 deaths from Covid-19. Click on the headline above for a  graphic that allows you to search the country by zip code or place name to see virus data.  Bloomberg Graphics Bloomberg Graphics   Sponsored Content by Siemens America's factories, power plants, transportation and hospitals all need technology and our technology is only as powerful as the people deploying and maintaining it. Keeping America moving takes more than technology alone. It takes a human touch. Siemens Ingenuity for life.   What you should read Global Shipping Crisis Puts Lives, Trade at Risk Seafarers everywhere are describing deteriorating conditions. U.K. Covid Test Demand Is Outstripping Capacity Huge surge in demand for virus tests was not predicted. Qantas CEO's Pay Sinks as Covid Axes Bonus Joyce went without pay from early March until August amid crisis. ECB Moves Closer to Lifting Bank Dividend Ban Extensions of pandemic-related ban may do more harm than good. Modi Faces Farm-Bill Battle as Minister Resigns Farming crisis brewing as India in desperate struggle with virus. Know someone else who would like this newsletter?  Have them sign up here. Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch or help us cover the story. Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Follow Us Get the newsletter You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Coronavirus Daily newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022