Operation Warp Speed Chief Backs Fauci After Rand Paul Mocks Mask Use: Vaccinated People Should Still Be Wearing Them

Operation Warp Speed chief adviser Dr. Moncef Slaoui reacted to the recent back-and-forth between Dr. Anthony Fauci and Senator Rand Paul by saying yes, people who are vaccinated should still be taking precautions like wearing masks.

Paul — who went against the CDC’s recommendations by telling people “trash your mask” after getting vaccinated — tried mocking Fauci during a hearing for wearing masks after he got vaccinated. Paul even asked, “Isn’t that theater?”

Fauci went through the science on why mask use is still important at this point for people who have been vaccinated and said, “Masks are not theater. They are protective.”

And on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday, Slaoui said Fauci’s correct:

“I do think as long as the herd immunity levels have not yet been attained, that people who have been vaccinated should continue wearing a mask when in public and in crowded areas, because what we don’t know yet is whether the vaccine prevents replication of the virus… It’s an act of, frankly, you know, civility, I would say, vis a vis the people around us who have not yet been vaccinated. So, yes.”

You can watch above (the relevant part starts at the 6:45 mark), via CBS.