Acknowledging that a significant number of individuals infected with Coronavirus lack symptoms and that even those who eventually develop symptoms can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms, America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has now recommended wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, “especially in areas of significant community-based transmission”.
After a continuous study and analysis of the spread and effects of the novel coronavirus across the United States, the CDC has said that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms.
“In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission,” the leading public health institute of U.S has said.
Emphasizing the importance of maintaining of a 6-feet social distancing to slow down the virus spread, the CDC has additionally advised “the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others”.
The Institute has further stated that “cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure”.
Clarifying that the cloth face coverings recommended “are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators”, the CDC has added that “those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders”.