Dr. Deborah Birx is weighing in on the future of face masks as states across the nation are beginning to slowly rollback coronavirus restrictions.
Birx is advising Americans not to throw away their face masks just yet. In the event restrictions are lifted, there is still a risk of contracting the coronavirus.
“We know that talking, singing, certainly sneezing and coughing, can pass the virus on to others,” Birx said. “And because you can pass it when you’re asymptomatic people don’t know that they’re infected.”
Check out her comments below:
She explained if there is evidence of the coronavirus in the community of the gathering or with citizens from other states and regions, everyone should be wearing a mask at that gathering.
“If everybody wears a face mask then you’re protecting the other person because it’s really having the asymptomatic individuals wearing masks, but since you don’t know if you’re one of those, really everyone needs to in those kinds of social gathering situations,” Birx said.
Face masks are not the only thing Birx believes will be sticking around for a while.
Birx is predicting social distancing guidelines will continue through the summer, as IJR previously reported.
Other health experts including Dr. Anthony Fauci are predicting the United States will still be battling the coronavirus in the fall, as IJR previously reported.
According to Fauci, the nation’s response is going to depend on whether the threat is big or small.
Both lawmakers and health experts have called on President Donald Trump to ramp up testing.
Fauci said while the United States needs to ramp up testing, it may not be able to produce enough tests at the moment.
The United States continues to see a rise in coronavirus cases. As of Tuesday morning, the nation is reporting over 988,000 confirmed cases and more than 56,000 deaths.
