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President Donald Trump has said he can’t see himself wearing one. Vice President Mike Pence didn’t when he visited the Mayo Clinic.
But generally, when it comes to protecting against the coronavirus, who should wear a face mask?
A widely shared Facebook post appears to offer direction from an authoritative source, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
“Please note: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend that people who are healthy wear face masks to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19,” says what looks like a partial screenshot from a UPMC webpage. “Face masks should be worn by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others.”
This post, published April 27, is offering old advice.
The CDC now recommends nearly everyone wear a face covering when out in public and where social distancing is difficult. Click here to get the facts.
Are Chinese hospitals refusing to treat coronavirus patients?
A viral tweet claims that Chinese hospitals are withholding COVID-19 treatments to deflate infection statistics. MediaWise could not find any evidence to confirm or refute this claim. See why»
Here’s why experts are hopeful but cautious about remdesivir for treating COVID-19
A recent clinical study of the drug remdesivir found that recovery time for coronavirus patients sped up by 31% while they were using the drug. Read more»
Did an Obama-era device tax cause the current PPE shortage?
The tax, known as the medical device tax or the medical device excise tax — but not the medical appliance tax bill — has not been in effect since the end of 2015. It was repealed in 2019. Read the fact-check»
Facebook posts claim canine coronavirus vaccine could treat COVID-19
Social media posts featuring a photo of a vial of canine coronavirus vaccine refer to a legitimate product, but the vaccine is for a gastrointestinal issue in dogs and has nothing to do with COVID-19. Get the facts»
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Alex Mahadevan is a senior multimedia reporter at MediaWise. He can be reached at amahadevan@poynter.org or on Twitter at @AlexMahadevan. Follow MediaWise on TikTok.
