Coronavirus: US surgeon general urges people to STOP panic-buying face masks as they're not effective
The US surgeon general has urged the public to stop buying masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and said that, by doing so, they were denying them to medical professionals who would need them desperately.
"Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!" tweeted Jerome Adams. "They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!"
"The best way to protect yourself and your community is with everyday preventive actions like staying home when you are sick and washing hands with soap and water, to help slow the spread of respiratory illness," he added in a separate tweet.
Adams also shared an announcement from Dr Nancy Messonnier, the vaccine expert at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who also said masks were ineffective in preventing the spread of the virus.
"CDC does not currently recommend the use of facemasks among the general public," the announcement read. "Some people, who have an increased risk of exposure, may need additional precautions, such as healthcare professionals caring for COVID-19 patients and other close contacts."
Coronavirus has sparked a degree of panic in the US after it was confirmed two people had died from it and that it had spread to at least 12 states, taking the total number of cases close to 90.
Adams made a public service announcement debunking some of the common myths about the virus that have been making the rounds, including about how race and ethnicity played no role in its spread.
"Diseases can make anyone sick regardless of their race or ethnicity," he tweeted. "People of Asian descent, including Chinese Americans, are not more likely to get COVID19 than any other American." "Someone who has completed quarantine or has been released from isolation does not pose a risk of spreading #COVID19 to other people," he added in a second tweet.
He admitted that it was "a serious disease" but that, for the general public "the immediate health risk is considered low." He said citizens could help stop its spread by recognizing the common symptoms like fever, cough, and shortness of breath, and by regularly washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
He also advised people to not touch their eyes, hands, or face with unwashed hands and to wipe down surfaces with cleaning solutions or wipes.
As the fallout over the virus continues -- the stock market recently saw its worst crash since the 2008 financial crisis -- vice president Mike Pence, who was appointed to lead the efforts to combat its spread last week, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar moved to reassure the public that the government was taking preventative action.
"They should know we have the best public health system in the world looking out for them," Azar said.