US President Donald Trump wore a face mask during a visit to a military hospital on Saturday, the first time that the president has been seen in public with the type of facial protection recommended by health authorities as a precaution against the spread or to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
Trump traveled by helicopter to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in a Washington suburb to visit wounded military personnel and health personnel caring for COVID-19 patients. Upon leaving the White House, the president told reporters that “when you are in a hospital, especially … I think you are expected to wear a mask.”
Trump used a face mask in the Walter Reed lobby as he began his visit. He did not bring one when he got off the helicopter on the premises.
The president began wearing a face mask long after the pandemic hit, which has plagued the entire United States since March and infected more than 3.2 million people and killed at least 134,000. Major Republicans, including Vice President Mike Pence, supported the use of face masks as the coronavirus spread in the summer.
However, Trump has refused to wear face masks at press conferences, coronavirus care force briefings, political events, and other public events. People close to him have told The Associated Press that the president fears that the mask will make him look weak and was concerned that wearing it will shift the focus to the public health crisis rather than economic recovery. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private matters.
Although he has not worn a mask himself, Trump has offered conflicting messages about its use, recognizing that it would be appropriate to use it in closed spaces where people cannot maintain a relevant social distance. But at the same time, he has accused journalists of wearing face masks in order to be politically correct and has retweeted messages that mock Democrat Joe Biden for wearing a mask and implying that Biden looks weak.
In most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that disappear in two to three weeks. In some people, especially older adults and those with underlying health conditions, it can lead to more serious illnesses, such as pneumonia, and even death.
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