Change in tone: Trump urges the public to wear masks, saying “it’s good” [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Switching his stance about wearing face masks, President Donald Trump urged the people on Tuesday to wear one to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
• During his interview with CBS News’ Catherine Herridge, Trump said that governors should follow the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on wearing face coverings.
• The president had ever since disregarded wearing face masks but changed his attitude upon the growing support for using them from both his supporters and adversaries.

In a full turnaround from his usual impassive behavior towards using face covers, President Donald Trump encouraged the Americans on Tuesday to wear masks to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.

During his interview with CBS News’ Catherine Herridge, Trump was asked whether there should be a federal order on mask-wearing or it should the governors’ prerogative. He said that governors should adhere to the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and it is good.

“If it‘s necessary, I would urge them to wear a mask and I would say follow the guidelines,” the president said when asked whether he would urge people to wear masks.

Two weeks ago during another interview with Fox Business, he said that he was “all for masks.”

The president’s circle is being tested regularly as the White House staff and visitors are wearing masks most of the time. Dr. Robert Redfield, CDC’s director, said that those instances could permit Trump to defend his non-wearing of a mask. However, he still insisted that the president should wear one to set an example for the Americans.

On Tuesday, CDC officials wrote that cloth face coverings were essential tools in mitigating the virus, adding that it could be effective when all people in a community wear it. The editorial also said that wearing masks beneficially serve as prevention of spreading the virus and protection among people.

“When asked to wear face coverings, many people think in terms of personal protection,” the authors said in the journal. “But face coverings are also widely and routinely used as source control.”

Trump had long belittled the value of face coverings. At one point, he even mocked his presidential rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, for wearing one during a Memorial Day Ceremony. Last April, when asked whether he would wear such, Trump replied: “Wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens — I just don‘t see it.“

But the president changed his stance as calls for wearing masks from his allies and adversaries grow alike. During a visit to Walter Reed National Medical Center on Saturday, Trump wore a mask that was seen for the first time in public. It was reported last May that he wore one during a Ford plant tour but took it off before being seen by the many people.

The CDC recommends that people should wear masks in all public spaces. Redfield said that the pandemic could be manageable if all people wore masks for one to two months.

Source: Politico