According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also known as the CDC recently released a set of guidelines where the body recommended the use of Homemade face masks or coverings in order to curb off the outbreak in the US which now has more cases of the outbreak than anywhere else in the world.
“The CDC is additionally advising simple cloth coverings to help people who may have the virus and do not know it keep from from transmitting to others,” said US Surgeon General Jerome Adams in a press conference at the White House today.
Initially when the case of the outbreak was first confirmed in the US back in January, the CDC advised that only health care providers as well as people who are very ill should wear the face masks.
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Health care providers use surgical masks and N95 respirators, which filter out tiny particles in the air, to protect themselves when they’re working closely with sick patients.
Meanwhile as the situation grew, the White House task force and the CDC are now re-evaluating that initial recommendation over the past few days. According to new research updates, it’s realized that even when people do not show any sign of the virus, they can still spread the virus to others through actions like coughing, sneezing, spiting etc.
“In light of this new evidence, the CDC recommends and the task force recommends people wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other distancing measures are difficult to maintain,” Adams said.
If people cover their faces with a cloth mask or another barrier, it may blunt the amount of virus-laden particles they release, experts say. There is limited evidence that these types of makeshift masks prevent the spread of disease, though some research shows that they do reduce the amount of particles a person wearing them spreads. Some experts say that they’re better than nothing. The CDC says people should continue to stay six feet apart when in public as much as possible, even if they’re wearing masks.
Currently, there is a severe shortage of Medical-grade masks which might get Doctors and Nurses exposed to the disease. Meanwhile the US Surgeon had warned earlier that the moment the general public buys these masks, they’ll be putting the health workers at serious risk.
#BREAKING: @GovofCO asks Coloradans to wear non-medical cloth masks or a scarf when going out in public for essential services.
— CBSDenver (@CBSDenver) April 3, 2020
Should cover your mouth & nose. Then, throw them in a warm wash when you return home #coronavirus #ColoradoMaskProject #InThisTogether pic.twitter.com/X6JqC7vQOp
So a new guide was publicly announced whereby the N95 and Surgical masks should not be used by the general public but medical practitioners instead. People are therefore urged to wear cloth masks or other face coverings they can find.
The new guidance stresses that members of the general public should not use surgical and N95 masks, because those should be reserved for health care workers. Instead, they should wear cloth masks or other makeshift face coverings.
Some cities and states, like Colorado and New York City, had already asked people to cover their faces when out in public. Meanwhile, the White House response has been characterized by people as being confusing, quick-changing policies and even messaging around public health measures like masks and testing.
The White House and President Donald Trump also continue to undercut messaging from the CDC. Trump said during today’s press conference that he wasn’t going to wear a mask. “This is voluntary. I don’t think I’m going to be doing it,” he said.
Meanwhile the US situation had grown so much having the highest number of confirmed cases of the Coronavirus disease which might be a massive hit much larger than that of any country in the world if necessary measures aren’t put in place to curb this off.
