White House urges Americans to wear cloth face coverings in public in bid to slow coronavirus spread
WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday announced new federal guidance that encourages Americans to use homemade cloth face coverings when in public, a new effort intended to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The guidance reflects a growing concern that individuals who don’t display coronavirus symptoms could still unknowingly transmit the disease while in public. Trump’s announcement matches a draft recommendation the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formulated yesterday, which urges Americans to use the cloth face coverings during trips to the grocery store and other public outings. The guidance, according to the CDC document, is intended not to guard the wearer but instead to prevent the wearer from unknowingly transmitting the virus to others.
