US President Donald Trump has encouraged Americans to wear face masks for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, after months of downplaying their importance.
Earlier this week Trump tweeted a photo of himself wearing a mask with the caption, “many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can’t socially distance. There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favourite President!”
The President doubled down on his endorsement on Tuesday when he resumed his daily briefings.
“Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact,” he said.
As cases continue to rise in the US, Trump all but conceded the outlook was grim.
“Some areas of country doing very well, others doing less well. It will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better. I don’t like saying that, but that’s the way it is,” he said.
With over four million cases in the US now reported, many would say wearing a mask is the least he could do.
