President Trump Announces New Face Mask Recommendations
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 03: U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions in the press briefing room with members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force April 3, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump announced that Americans in virus hot spots should wear a mask when out in public as the death rate caused by coronavirus has nearly doubled in three days in New York City while the nation continues to reel from the impacts of COVID-19. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)President Trump said Friday that his administration is now recommending Americans wear "non-medical cloth" face coverings, according to CNN. This is a reversal of his administration's previous suggestion that masks are not necessary for people who weren't sick.
"The CDC is advising the use of non-medical cloth face coverings as an additional voluntary public health measure," Trump said, according to Fox News. "So it’s voluntary. You don’t have to do it."
He added, "I don't think I'm going to be doing it. Wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens — I just don't see it."
Trump stressed that medical masks should be reserved for health care workers and that masks are not a substitute for social distancing, according to The New York Times.
