As being virus surges, Trump under great pressure to wear mask
29 June, 2020
U.S. President Donald Trump faced mounting bipartisan pressure Sunday to create an example by wearing a nose and mouth mask, as his wellness secretary warned the "window is closing" to get control of an explosion of infections in conservative-led states.
New coronavirus cases have already been surging in more than half of U.S. says, reaching record latest highs after weeks of mitigation attempts applied unevenly in the united states and quite often contradictory messaging from the federal government.
Hardest hit have already been southern and western states that pushed for early on economic reopenings.
But the most up-to-date upsurge, pushing the country's total of declared cases over 2.5 million and its death toll past 125,000, has prompted a growing chorus of demands much tougher tips and enforcement.
"This is an extremely, very serious scenario and the windowpane is closing for us to do this and get this in order," Health insurance and Human Providers Secretary Alex Azar said over CNN.
Azar was asked why Trump offers refused to set a good example by wearing a protective mask in public areas -- even when standing up coming to mask-wearing wellness advisors -- and reiterated the White House description that the president is tested daily and is "in a distinctive position" as a world leader.
But many Republicans who are usually reluctant to criticize the president have been calling even more insistently for mask use, with most urging a clearer example from the country's leader.
"If wearing masks is essential, and all the health experts reveal that it is... it would help if every once in awhile the president would wear someone to help us eliminate this political debate that says if you are for Trump, you do not don a mask, if you are against Trump, you carry out," Republican Senator Lamar Alexander stated Sunday on CNN.
In some areas, mask-wearing has taken on a political edge rather than being regarded as a straightforward health choice.
Among Republicans calling strongly for mask-wearing are Senator Marco Rubio of Florida -- which includes set daily records of latest COVID-19 cases; Senate leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky; and Governor Greg Abbott of Texas, another declare that has seen a significant uptick in cases after moving aggressively to reopen its market.
In Phoenix, Governor Doug Ducey wore a mask on Thursday when he warned fellow Arizonans that "we are getting hit hard right now." The best defense against COVID-19, he told local media, is to have on protective masks.
Liz Cheney, a member of the home leadership, has tweeted an image of her father, the past U.S. vice president, wearing a mask beneath the thoughts: "Dick Cheney says Put on A MASK #realmenwearmasks"
Vice President Mike Pence has sometimes worn masks in public areas but stopped brief of advocating mask-wearing when he chaired the 1st briefing in 8 weeks of the White Property coronavirus process force on Friday.
Pence travelled Sunday to Texas for a briefing with Governor Abbott on the pandemic response, but has cancelled upcoming events found in Arizona and Florida "out of an abundance of caution."
Asked why the administration hasn't pushed harder for masks, Pence informed CBS on Sunday that "we assume that every state includes a unique situation" and that "you want to defer to governors" to select rules because of their own states.
Some Democrats want Trump not only to set an example but to mandate mask-wearing nationwide -- including Trump's White Property rival Joe Biden who says he'd seek to make masks compulsory in public areas spaces.
Asked on ABC in the event she'd support such a maneuver, Home speaker Nancy Pelosi named it "definitely prolonged overdue.
"We've the worst record of any country on earth. And the president says we're making progress."
She added, "The president ought to be a good example. Real men don masks. Be a good example to the united states and dress in the mask."
Source: japantoday.com
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