Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : July 2, 2020 2:41 PM IST
Donald Trump was earlier criticised for holding campaign rallies amid a global pandemic.
US President Donald Trump has been criticized by many for not taking the COVID-19 pandemic seriously and regarding the recommendations of the country's health experts. He has been denying the scientific facts and had refused to wear a mask. But it seems he is realizing the severity of the situation that the world is in as COVID-19 cases rise at an alarming rate across the US. Speaking to media persons, Trump on Wednesday said that he is in favour of wearing masks. "I'm all for masks," he said to a US national daily.
The US President said he would also wear one if he is in a tight situation with people, and added he had worn it before too. Trump doesn't feel wearing a mask publicly is a problem at all. In fact, he said he "sort of liked" how he looked with the mask on as it makes him look like the Lone Ranger, a fictional masked hero.
However, the president reiterated that he still does not see the need for making face-coverings mandatory across the US, because he said there are "many places in the country where people stay very long distance". He stated that people can wear masks if they feel good about it.
Earlier in April when the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggested that people should wear masks or cloth coverings in public to help stop the spread of the virus, Trump had refused to follow the practice. Back then he said that he won't be wearing a mask as he thinks greeting presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, and queens with the mask doesn't look appropriate.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also strongly recommends wearing masks in public places. Several studies have also revealed that wearing masks can help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Keep reading to know how masks work against coronavirus, and what should you consider when choosing a mask.
Researchers have suggested that both pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic may transmit the novel virus. Studies have shown the viral load peaks in the days before symptoms begin and an infected person can expel virus-carrying droplets even when s/he speaks. Since there are a lot of asymptomatic patients, and you can't tell who's infected, it becomes necessary for everybody to wear a mask to protect themselves from the virus or prevent spreading it if you're infected.
The efficacy of wearing masks in blocking the virus has been proven by several laboratory studies. In an experiment using high-speed video, researchers found that even saying a simple phrase generated hundreds of droplets ranging from 20 to 500 micrometers, but almost all these droplets were blocked when the mouth was covered by a damp washcloth. Another study including influenza or the common cold patients found that wearing a surgical mask led to a significant reduction in the amount of these respiratory viruses emitted in droplets and aerosols.
Many studies of real-world scenarios have echoed the same. For example, a study that compared the COVID-19 growth rate before and after mask mandates in 15 states and the District of Columbia found that mask mandates led to a gradual slowdown in daily COVID-19 growth rate. Another study revealed that those countries with cultural norms or government policies favoring mask-wearing had lower coronavirus death rates.
