White House Likely to Urge Face Cover to Combat Aerosol Risk
- Research shows virus can float in aerosolized droplets
- Recommendation would apply to hard-hit areas in U.S.
A commuter wearing a protective mask sits inside a train at a subway station in New York on April 1.
Photographer: Jeenah Moon/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The White House is likely to recommend that people living in areas hardest hit by the coronavirus cover their faces in public, according to a person familiar with the matter, as new research shows that the pathogen may hang in the air after people sneeze, cough or even talk.
The administration won’t urge Americans to buy commercial medical-grade masks, which are in short supply at hospitals. The recommendation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would apply to areas with high levels of community transmission of the virus, the person said.