US CDC recommends Americans wear 'most protective mask you can'

[WASHINGTON] The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) late on Friday (Jan 14) revised its guidance for Americans on wearing masks, recommending wearing "the most protective mask you can", although the agency stopped short of calling for nationwide N95 usage.

The CDC clarified in its revised website "that people can choose respirators such as N95s and KN95s, including removing concerns related to supply shortages for N95s". It added that Americans should "wear the most protective mask you can that fits well and that you will wear consistently".

The CDC added that "while all masks and respirators provide some level of protection, properly fitted respirators provide the highest level of protection". Covid-19 cases have surged and more Americans have been opting for higher grade protection.

The United States reported 1.35 million new coronavirus infections on Monday, shattering the global record for daily cases in any one country. Omicron is now estimated to account for 98.3 per cent of total new cases circulating in the country, the CDC said.

REUTERS