Donald Trump has recommended Americans cover their faces with “non-medical cloth” to slow the spread of coronavirus. However, the US President stressed immediately afterwards that the advice is voluntary, and that he isn’t planning to follow it himself.
The announcement was made at yesterday’s daily White House briefing for reporters and follows a row with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over what guidance to issue.
It comes as the number of Covid-19 deaths in the US reached 7,385 - with 3,218 of these in New York state - meaning the virus has now claimed more lives than the September 11 terror attacks. “With the masks, it's going to be really a voluntary thing,” Trump said. “You can do it, you don't have to do it.