Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert and a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, said Wednesday the United States could reach a point where it recommends wearing glasses to help prevent the COVID-19 spread.
© Getty Images
Fauci says eye protection can help prevent the spread of the coronavirus
During an interview with Jennifer Ashton, ABC News medical correspondent, Fauci was asked if the United States would one day recommend eye protection due to the pandemic.
“You know, it could,” Fauci said, noting that it would offer an additional layer of protection.
“He has mucosa in his nose, mucosa in his mouth, but he also has mucosa in his eye,” he added. “Theoretically, you should protect all mucous surfaces.”
Fauci went on to say that if you have “glasses or an eye protector, you should wear it.” While not universally recommended, both glasses and a face shield would provide “complete” protection against the coronavirus, he said.
Dr. Anthony Fauci to @DrJAshton: “If you have glasses or an eye protector, you should wear it. It is not universally recommended, but if you really want to be complete, you should probably wear it if you can.” https://t.co/SJPZn8fN6F pic.twitter.com/Ml87aBuclI
– ABC News (@ABC) July 29, 2020
“It’s just that it’s very easy for people to make a cloth mask,” Fauci said, referring to the public health guide for Americans to use face covers in public places to slow the spread of the virus.
The new coronavirus first appeared in the US earlier this year and has since infected more than 4.4 million Americans and accounted for at least 150,000 deaths in the nation, according to a Johns Hopkins University database. . An increase in COVID-19 cases in various parts of the US in recent weeks has caused many states to pause reopening plans and implement masking mandates.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the use of face masks, but no federal mandate has been issued. No guidance has been offered on the use of protective eye protectors for the general public. The CDC recommends that health professionals wear eye protection if they are in areas with “moderate to substantial community transmission.”
Keep reading
