Trump disputes CDC head: masks 'may be effective'

President Donald Trump openly contradicted government's top health experts on Wednesday, predicting a safe and effective vaccine against coronavirus could be ready as early as next month and in mass distribution soon after. That undermined director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whom Trump called confused in projecting a longer time frame.

Trump also disagreed with Dr. Robert Redfield about effectiveness of protective masks — which president recommends but almost never wears — and said he'd telephoned Redfield to tell him so.

Earlier in day, CDC sent all 50 states a "playbook" for distribution of a vaccine to all Americans free of cost when one is proven safe and effective — which is t yet case.

Redfield told a congressional hearing that health care workers, first responders and ors at high risk would get vaccine first, perhaps in January or even late this year, but it was unlikely to be available more broadly, again assuming approval, before late spring or summer.

Redfield, masked at times in a Senate hearing room, spoke emphatically of importance of everyone wearing protective masks to stop pandemic, which has killed nearly 200,000 Americans.