Surgeon General Jerome Adams is cautioning Americans to stop buying face masks because they are ineffective in protecting the public from catching the coronavirus and are needed for healthcare professionals.
“Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!” Adams tweeted Saturday.
“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!” he added.
In his tweet, Adams linked to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on how to prevent the spread of disease and infection.
It is against the CDC’s recommendation that healthy people wear the masks to protect themselves against respiratory illness, adding that people who do show symptoms of the COVID-19 virus should wear masks to prevent the spread of infection to others.
The CDC also said masks are crucial for health care workers and care givers at a home or a facility.
Adams stated in another tweet that 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.”
“Get your #FluShot- fewer flu patients = more resources for #COVID19,” he added.
Health officials announced on Saturday the first U.S. death from the coronavirus, which has infected more than 87,000 people worldwide and caused nearly 3,000 deaths.