At a Senate hearing on the U.S. coronavirus response on September 16, Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stressed the importance of wearing a mask to prevent coronavirus spread, despite dismissive comments from President Donald Trump. He claimed: "I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine." Dr. Redfield stressed that the American public should take the responsibility and embrace face masks.