Donald Trump refuses to wear face mask amid COVID-19 outbreak in US
Donald Trump refuses to wear face mask amid COVID-19 outbreak in US
US President Donald Trump has suggested Americans to cover their faces with stole or homemade masks made of cloth while going outside to hold back the spread of Covid-19 although he wouldn’t wear one himself.
Making reference to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US President advised people to wear face mask like stole or homemade cloth masks, and to keep medical-grade masks at disposal for the health workers.
“The CDC is advising the use of non-medical cloth face covering as an additional voluntary public health measure,” Trump told reporters during a press briefing at the White House on Friday.
"The CDC is not recommending the use of medical-grade or surgical-grade masks. Those needs to be used for medical people working to save lives of Americans. Medical protective gear must be reserved for the front-line healthcare workers who are performing those vital services," he said.
CDC has advised the Americans wear a basic cloth mask that can be either bought online or made at home.
But despite that, Donald Trump said that he will not adhere to that guidelines.
"I just don't want to wear one myself, it's a recommendation," he said.
"Somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk, the great Resolute Desk, I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, dictators, kings, queens, I don't know, I don't see it for myself," he said.
The dangerous SARS-CoV-2 has thus far resulted in the loss of over 7,000 lives in the US and infected more than 2,70,000 people.
Speaking to the press, Donald Trump emphasized that the new masks instructions do not replace CDC’s guidance on social distancing, including staying at home when possible, standing al least 6 feet away for some time.
The US President also held out for practicing hand hygiene.
In keeping with the new available data, CDC stated that the virus can spread between people interacting in close range – for example coughing, sneezing or speaking – even if those individuals are not showing symptoms.
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