Face masks are a symbol of freedom, says US surgeon general
US surgeon general Jerome Adams has told Americans that wearing a face mask should be thought of as a means to secure everyone’s freedom, in contrast to many on the right who view instructions to wear them as an attack on individual liberty.
“Some feel face coverings infringe on their freedom of choice,” he wrote on Twitter, “but if more wear them, we’ll have MORE freedom to go out.
“Face coverings > less asymptomatic viral spread > more places open, and sooner!
“Exercise and promote your freedom by choosing to wear a face covering!
In a subsequent tweet, Dr Adams acknowledged the reaction he received.
Nonetheless, Mr Trump remains determined to avoid blanket mask policies. He has moved this summer’s Republican National Convention from North Carolina to Florida after taking umbrage at the former’s social distancing measures, which made it likely that the crowd at his formal renomination would be both masked and less numerous than the president would prefer.
Dr Adams, who recently recorded a video in which he put on a mask and told Americans to do the same, served as the state health commissioner of Indiana while now-vice president Mike Pence was governor.
During that time, the state found itself dealing with an HIV outbreak in a deprived region with high rates of intravenous drug use. Mr Pence has since faced severe opprobrium for his slowness to act in the epidemic’s early stages, in particular his hesitancy to open needle exchanges.
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