Donald Trump and Melania Trump has received some backlash online after attending public Memorial Day events without face masks. The criticisms amass as the United States continues to see a daily increase in COVID-19 infections and death toll.
Donald Trump, Melania Trump attend public events sans face masks
The President and the first lady attended Memorial Day ceremonies at the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine as well as at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday. In both events, Donald Trump and Melania Trump were not seen wearing face coverings.
However, Donald Trump and Melania Trump were also practically maintaining social distancing for the most part of the events. A photo shared by Daily Mail also showed that the first lady was wearing a face mask while inside the Marine One.
Donald Trump has also been in a media back-and-forth with his most likely opponent in November, Joe Biden, over wearing masks in public. Biden attended paid his Memorial Day tributes at the Delaware Memorial Bridge Veterans Memorial Park with her wife Jill Biden. They both wore face coverings as the state of Delaware has required wearing face masks in public since late April. Meanwhile, in a following press briefing, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany that it was “peculiar” that Biden was not wearing a mask when he was at home beside his wife.
It can be recalled that Melania Trump has been actively speaking about wearing face coverings in public since the CDC started recommending it in early April. The first lady released a photo of her wearing a face mask as well as a video where she holds a mask while briefly discussing the topic. Donald Trump said at the time, “I don’t think I’m going to be doing it.”
What CDC says about wearing face masks
On April 3, the CDC published a recommendation on wearing face coverings in public on top of six-feet social distancing. “CDC is additionally advising the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others,” the post reads.
CDC’s website also has instructional posts on how to make sewn and no-sew cloth face coverings out of cotton fabrics, how to wear them, and how to wash them. As of Tuesday, May 26, the total of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has climbed to more than 1.6 million while, unfortunately, the death toll is at 98,261.