Americans are accustomed to hearing COVID-19 news from Dr. Anthony Fauci, but now his boss is speaking out, declaring that wearing a mask could save over 130,000 lives in the next four months. In a blog post on the National Institutes of Health website, NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins cites a recent study, published in Nature Medicine, that finds only about half of Americans always wear a mask in public. If this trend continues, coupled with inconsistent social distancing, “COVID-19 deaths in the United States could soar to more than 1 million by the end of February,” Collins writes. However, he continues, “if most Americans pulled together to do the right thing and wore a mask in public, this simple, selfless act would save more than 130,000 lives in the next few months alone. If mask-wearers increased to just 85 percent, the model predicts it would save about 96,000 lives across the country.” Collins urges Americans to think of face coverings “in the same way you think about putting on your seat belt — a minor inconvenience that can save lives.”
The latest forecast from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that from 243,000 to 256,000 COVID-19 deaths will be reported by the week ending November 21. As of Wednesday morning, the U.S. had at least 232,638 reported COVID-19 deaths, more than any other country and representing just over 19% of global deaths.
NIH director says wearing a mask could save 130,000+ lives by March
