Trump under pressure to wear mask

WASHINGTON, D. C.: President Donald Trump faced mounting bipartisan pressure on Sunday ( Monday in Manila) to set an example by wearing a face mask, as his health secretary warned the “window is closing” to gain control of an explosion of infections in conservative-led US states.

New coronavirus cases have been surging in more than half of US states, reaching record new highs after months of mitigation efforts applied unevenly across the country and sometimes contradictory messaging from the government.

Hardest hit have been southern and western states that pushed for early economic reopenings. But the latest upsurge, pushing the nation’s total of declared cases over 2.5 million and its death toll past 125,000, has prompted a growing chorus of calls for much tougher rules and enforcement.

“This is a very, very serious situation and the window is closing for us to take action and get this under control,” Health and Human Services

Secretary Alex Azar said.

Azar was asked why Trump has refused to set an example by wearing a protective mask in public — even when standing next to mask-wearing health advisors — and reiterated the White House explanation that the president is tested daily and is “in a unique position” as a world leader.

But many Republicans who are normally reluctant to criticize the president have been calling more insistently for mask use, with some urging a clearer example from the nation’s leader.

“If wearing masks is important, and all the health experts tell us that it is…it would help if from time to time the president would wear one to help us get rid of this political debate that says if you’re for Trump, you don’t wear a mask, if you’re against Trump, you do,” Republican Senator Lamar Alexander said.

In some areas, mask wearing has taken on a political edge rather than being seen as a straightforward health choice.