NIAID Director Anthony Fauci told ABC News on Instagram that he was speaking live about the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday night: “If you have glasses or an eye protector, you should wear it.”
Because it is important: Eye protection is not currently included in the formal guidance on COVID-19. Currently, the CDC only recommends that health workers wear eye protection “in areas with moderate to substantial community transmission.”
By the numbers: More than 150,000 people in the US have died from the new coronavirus, and more than 4.4 million have been infected as of Wednesday night, according to Johns Hopkins.
What they are saying ABC’s Jennifer Ashton asked Fauci if he could imagine the point where eye protection would be recommended, he replied, “Could, if you really want perfect protection from mucous surfaces.”
- Fauci noted that eye protection “was not universally recommended, but if you really want to be complete, you should probably use it if you can.”
- He explained that the coronavirus infects mucous surfaces, such as the nose and mouth, along with the eyes. “Theoretically, you should protect all mucosal surfaces,” added Fauci.
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