COVID-19: Donald Trump 'choosing not to' wear a mask against White House's advice

Amid the unprecedented outbreak of coronavirus as the US set a new record of deaths, the White House advised all Americans to use protective gear against the fatal COVID-19 in the new mask guidelines. The pandemic has been sweeping across the globe and as already infected more than one million people in 204 countries, but US President Donald Trump not only called the advice to 330 million US citizens to wear non-surgical masks as “voluntary thing” but also said, “I’m choosing not to do it”.

As of April 4, US has confirmed at least 277,475 confirmed cases of coronavirus with over 7,400 deaths. Trump even said at the press conference that the government recommendation of wearing masks would last “for a period of time”. US Surgeon General Jerome Adams even said that the move by US government came in the wake of the fact that most people who carry COVID-19 do not show its symptoms. All tasks force members and Trump laid emphasis on practising social distancing and the existing guidelines for Americans

US President said, “So with the masks, it’s going to be, really, a voluntary thing.  You can do it.  You don’t have to do it.  

"I’m choosing not to do it, but some people may want to do it, and that’s okay.  It may be good.  Probably will.  They’re making a recommendation.  It’s only a recommendation.  It’s voluntary," he added.

Read - Trump Jokes About Virus Tests For Energy CEOs

Read - Trump Says NY Should Have Ordered More Ventilators

Trump disagrees with task force member

Meanwhile, in a previous press conference, Dr Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House task force on the coronavirus, wants Americans to do better at social distancing. But US President Donald Trump apparently disliked the message and credited “the states that are doing an incredible job”. During the daily press conference of the coronavirus task force, Birx urged the citizens to practice social distancing and guidelines introduced by the US government. In her address, she also noted that in certain states, the outbreak curve drastically increased even after the government announced the first set of guidelines on March 16. 

Now the coronavirus cases in the United States and the death toll continues to spike, Trump has extended the guidelines to another 30 days. However, since Brix urged Americans to be responsible as the fatal COVID-19 spreads from community to community and showcased the exponential growth in graphs with statistics of different states in the US, Trump came forward and lauded the states other than New York, New Jersey which are emerging as new hotspots of COVID-19. 

Read - Trump Fires Watchdog Who Handled Ukraine Complaint

Read - Donald Trump Recommends Americans Wear Face Masks, But Says He Won't