President Trump Tweets It Is ‘Patriotic To Wear A Face Mask’

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – President Donald Trump on Monday tweeted that wearing a face mask is patriotic.

He posted a photo of himself wearing a face mask, writing that “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 favorite President!” the tweet concluded.

We are United in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and 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 favorite President! pic.twitter.com/iQOd1whktN

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 20, 2020

A recent report from researchers at BYU found that up to one-third of people who are infected with COVID-19 show no symptoms of the virus, and that wearing a face covering can stop 90% or more of an infected person’s droplets from spreading.

“The No. 1 finding from the report is that masks are extremely effective at reducing the rate of transmission of COVID-19 and, surprisingly, also at reducing the mortality rate,” said Ben Abbott, a professor of environmental science at BYU and one of four authors of “Making sense of the research on COVID-19 and masks.” “And that second part is not completely understood. We don’t know exactly what’s going on. The main hypothesis is that if you are exposed to fewer viral particles when you catch the disease you have a less severe reaction, a more mild version of COVID-19.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that all people wear cloth face coverings in public settings when social distancing is difficult to maintain.

As of July 21, masks are required in 28 states and Washington, D.C. Utah is not on that list, however, Salt Lake, Summit and Grand counties, as well as the city of Springdale, all have mask mandates for people in public settings.

Many businesses, both locally and nationally, are also requiring customers to mask up before entering stores, including Costco, Harmons, Walmart, Target and Starbucks.

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Coronavirus Resources  

• Have you or a family member been affected by coronavirus issues in Utah? KSL TV wants to hear from you. Contact KSL by emailing social@ksl.com.  
• What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy  
• What We Know And Don’t Know About The Coronavirus  
• Four Common Coronavirus Questions Answered  
• The latest coronavirus stories from KSL TV can be found at our Staying Safe: Coronavirus section.  

• Your Life Your Health: How can parents prepare their home, children against coronavirus?  

How Do I Prevent It?  

The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:  

• Avoid close contact with people who may be sick  
• Avoid touching your face  

• Stay home when you are sick  
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash  
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.  
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.  

How To Get Help  

If you’re worried you may have COVID-19, go to TestingUtah.com to schedule a test, or contact the Utah Coronavirus Information Line at 1-800-456-7707 to speak to trained healthcare professionals. You can also use telehealth service through your healthcare providers.   

Additional Resources  

If  you see evidence of PRICE GOUGING, the Utah Attorney General’s Office wants you to report it. Common items in question include toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer, certain household cleaners, and even cold medicine and baby formula. Authorities are asking anyone who sees price gouging to report it to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection at 801-530-6601 or 800-721-7233. The division can also be reached by email at consumerprotection@utah.gov.