In a rapidly changing public health emergency like COVID-19, new data and new conditions require quick adjustments.
That's happening now.
The bottom line is: Cloth face coverings, when combined with physical distance and hand-washing, may help prevent spread of #COVID19.
The most important thing we can do to stay safe is to remain home except for essential business, like grocery shopping.
It's easy to fashion a mask out of household items. We don't need to buy surgical masks or respirators, which are in short supply and must be available to our frontline medical workers.
Bandanas, fabric masks, neck gaiters, handkerchiefs, can all help, and should be frequently washed for reuse. Remember to wash hands before and after touching your face or your mask.
This change reflects new data that suggests up to 50% of virus carriers are asymptomatic. The main goal of wearing a cloth mask is to reduce the spread from the wearer to others -- if we all wear them, we all protect each other.
We're doing a great job together to #flattenthecurve but we must keep it up to prevent our hospitals from becoming overwhelmed.
#nonakedfaces
#masks4all
