Mask confusion: WHO updates its advice on wearing masks

CORRECTION on Aug. 21, 2020: The WHO updated its advice on mask use by the public on June, 5 2020, stating:

"Taking into account the available studies evaluating pre-[symptomatic] and asymptomatic transmission, a growing compendium of observational evidence on the use of masks by the general public in several countries, individual values and preferences, as well as the difficulty of physical distancing in many contexts, WHO has updated its guidance to advise that to prevent COVID-19 transmission effectively in areas of community transmission, governments should encourage the general public to wear masks in specific situations and settings as part of a comprehensive approach to suppress SARS-CoV-2 transmission."

In short, health authorities like the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommend that the public use face masks in shared spaces, like public transportation and grocery stores. This change in guidance occurred after several studies found that infected individuals can transmit COVID-19 even when not showing symptoms. Contrary to some claims, face masks do not cause oxygen deficiency or a toxic buildup of carbon dioxide. It is important to remember that cloth face masks, surgical masks, and even N95 respirators do not provide 100% protection from the novel coronavirus and therefore must be combined with other transmission control measures such as physical distancing and good hand hygiene.

ORIGINAL REPORT: In a reversal last month of its position, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began recommending that everyone were a mask in public amid the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the World Health Organization says in a video posted on its website that healthy people should wear a mask only when caring for someone infected with COVID-19, reports Fox News.

"If you do not have any [respiratory] symptoms such as fever, cough or runny nose, you do not need to wear a mask," says WHO public health specialist Dr. April Baller in a video on posted in March. "Masks should only be used by health care workers, caretakers or by people who are sick with symptoms of fever and cough."

In contrast, the CDC says individuals, regardless of infection, should wear a mask or face covering in public settings to curb the spread of the virus.

"We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (‘asymptomatic’) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (‘pre-symptomatic’) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms," the CDC mask guidance says.

"In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain."

But the WHO's Baller warns that masks can give people a "false feeling of protection."

The CDC originally recommended that masks be worn only by people exhibiting symptoms. Then, citing a new study that suggests wearing masks could cut COVID-19 cases by 80%, it recommended that everybody wear one.

Meanwhile, President Trump announced from the Rose Garden at the White House on Friday afternoon that the U.S. is withdrawing its funding from the WHO, citing the world body's mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top White House infectious disease expert, said in a recent CNN interview that he wears a face mask to serve as a "symbol" of what "you should be doing" amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"I want to protect myself and protect others, and also because I want to make it be a symbol for people to see that that's the kind of thing you should be doing," Fauci said.

In March, however, he told Dr. Jon LaPook, chief medical correspondent for CBS News, that, in general, "people should not be walking around with masks."

LaPook: There’s a lot of confusion among people, and misinformation, surrounding face masks. Can you discuss that?

Fauci: The masks are important for someone who’s infected to prevent them from infecting someone else… Right now in the United States, people should not be walking around with masks.

LaPook: You’re sure of it? Because people are listening really closely to this.

Fauci: There’s no reason to be walking around with a mask. When you’re in the middle of an outbreak, wearing a mask might make people feel a little bit better and it might even block a droplet, but it’s not providing the perfect protection that people think that it is. And, often, there are unintended consequences — people keep fiddling with the mask and they keep touching their face.

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LaPook: And can you get some schmutz, sort of staying inside there?

Fauci: Of course, of course. But, when you think masks, you should think of health care providers needing them and people who are ill. The people who, when you look at the films of foreign countries and you see 85% of the people wearing masks — that’s fine, that’s fine. I’m not against it. If you want to do it, that’s fine.

LaPook: But it can lead to a shortage of masks?

Fauci: Exactly, that’s the point. It could lead to a shortage of masks for the people who really need it.