In the age of the Coronavirus pandemic, the advice to the people is to wear face masks. That will help to reduce the possibility of infection. However, US President Donald Trump did not subscribe to that view. In fact, he mocked Democratic rival, Joe Biden, for doing so. Therefore, when he appeared in public wearing one on July 11, it became news. It happened when the president visited the Walter Reed military hospital outside Washington to meet wounded soldiers and health care workers. When he left the White House, he said, "I've never been against masks but I do believe they have a time and a place." His remarks were a pointer to his changed attitude.

This was possibly because of the soaring number of coronavirus cases in the United States.

The BBC says that back in April, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended that people should wear masks or cloth coverings in public. That would help to arrest the spread of the virus. However, Donald Trump did not agree and told reporters he would not follow the practice. Last week, he did tell a media outlet, "I'm all for masks" but added that those who wore such attachments looked like the "Lone Ranger." This masked hero was a fictional character who fought outlaws in the American Old West.

A section of his aides had repeatedly asked him to wear one in public but he remained unmoved. His stand was: “I don't think I'm going to be doing it. Wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens - I just don't see it."

President Trump has his reasons for not supporting masks

Donald Trump believes those who wear masks send out a signal that they do not approve of him.

That is what he mentioned to a reputed media house last month. The BBC says he also talked about them touching their faces once they remove the covering. That way they unknowingly spread the virus. Whatever be the reasons, if he had worn a mask in public, he would have sent the right signals and set an example for others to follow.

The CDC recommends that keeping the nose and mouth covered by wearing a mask in public helps to check infection.

Hesitation of Trump is difficult to explain

The BBC provides statistics about the spread of the pandemic in America. The figures indicate a high rate of infection with the death toll in the region of 135,000. Johns Hopkins University gave the data. The hesitation of Trump is difficult to explain. Americans would have probably have loved to see their President wearing a mask. Louisiana has ordered that people must wear masks in public.

The governor, John Bel Edwards from the Democratic Party, ordered the closure of bars across the state. He also instructed restaurants to stop the practice of serving customers inside.

Donald Trump finally wore a face mask

According to CNN, President Donald Trump visited service members at a military hospital and donned a face mask. It was after his continued refusal to wear one in public ever since coronavirus struck. He justified his change of stance by explaining that the situation of a hospital environment demanded that he wore a mask. His decision comes after months of declining to wear one in public in spite of recommendations of his own administration's public health experts. Joe Biden's campaign seized the opportunity to have its say on the subject.

Biden’s spokesman, Andrew Bates said that the President "wasted" four months discouraging people from wearing masks while Biden "has led by example from the start." The CDC advises people to take precautions in critical areas where it is difficult to maintain social distancing. This is because the disease can spread between asymptomatic people and through respiratory droplets in the air. In such cases, the mask acts as a shield.
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