Why the White House and CDC changed their guidance on wearing face coverings

Posted at 9:49 PM, Apr 03, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-03 22:38:55-04

For weeks, Americans were told that the general public does not need to wear masks while in the public.

Then on Friday, President Donald Trump announced that the CDC would issue guidance that face coverings not intended to be used for medical purposes should be used on a voluntary basis while in the public.

Why the change in guidance?


The research is preliminary, and requires further study, but the National Academies' findings prompted a change in the CDC's guidance.

"Currently available research supports the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 could be spread via bioaerosols generated directly by patients' exhalation," the research said. "One must be cautious in imputing the findings with one respiratory virus to another respiratory virus, as each virus may have its own effective infectious inoculate and distinct aerosolization characteristics."

The National Academies said that personal collectors worn by samplers also were positive even though patients were not coughing while samplers were present.


