This is a new recommendation made Thursday by the administration of Bill de Blasio. This decision was taken on the basis of a study published on 1is April and that asymptomatic or presymptomatic people spread the virus without being aware of it.
We are now advising New Yorkers to cover their faces when leaving their homes and around other people.
, said the mayor, saying however that he did not advise using professional medical equipment, which should be reserved for healthcare workers.
Instead, people should use scarves, bandanas and other pieces of cloth to cover their mouths and noses, even those without symptoms, he said.
Remember, with community transmission – according to the projections we have shared with you – more than half of New Yorkers will be infected with this disease. Make your own mask, don’t take the medical supplies our heroes need. It will help protect everyone.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), such homemade masks are more or less effective and should be used as a last resort. This type of protection does not prevent the person wearing it from contracting COVID-19, but it does prevent an infected person from transmitting the virus in the community.
New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States, has 47,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. This is almost 20% of cases nationwide. The United States has more than 240,000 cases and 5,800 deaths.
Dr. Deborah Birx, who is part of the White House team to fight COVID-19, argued Thursday that the federal administration may advise all Americans to cover their faces in the coming days. This possibility is certainly under study, she said.
Just remember that wearing such a mask does not replace social distancing measures.
, explained Dr. Birx, lamenting that according to the current spread curve, not all Americans follow these guidelines.
