TRUMPS top advisor Larry Kudlow has said that attendees ‘must’ wear a facemask at this Saturday’s Tulsa rally to avoid catching coronavirus.
The advice flys in the face of Trump’s apparent belief that the virus is no longer a major threat to public health.
People attending Trump’s campaign rally in Oklahoma this week should wear masks and observe social distancing at the presidents first rally in three months.
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told CNN’s State of the Union program: “It is a concern.
“People must observe the safety guidelines, OK, must. The social distancing must be observed. Face coverings in key places must be observed.”
Asked if he believed people attending Saturday’s Trump rally in Tulsa should wear masks, Kudlow said, “Well, OK, probably so.”
People must observe the safety guidelines, OK, must.
Health experts, including the state’s medical authorities, have cautioned against large gatherings such as political rallies during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Trump has not appeared in public wearing a mask, which top health experts recommend as a coronavirus safety measure, and has expressed disdain for those who do.
He is kick-starting his re-election campaign at a 19,200 capacity stadium on June 20 in Tulsa, Oklahoma following a three-month hiatus while the pandemic spread.
Oklahoma has recorded 8,231 cases and 359 deaths to date. 158 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours.
Tulsa Health Department Director Bruce Dart said he wished the indoor rally could be put off as the virus spreads more easily indoors, especially among people in close proximity.
Dart told The Tulsa World: “COVID is here in Tulsa, it is transmitting very efficiently.
“I wish we could postpone this to a time when the virus isn’t as large a concern as it is today.”
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who has informally advised the White House during the pandemic, said he would advise against holding or attending large political rallies.
He said: “We know these large gatherings are going to lead to more spread.
“The spontaneous protests around the country are going to lead to additional spread. Certainly holding a large political rally will as well. That’s in an indoor space. It’s a confined space.”
The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday urged organizers of large gatherings that involve “shouting, chanting or singing to strongly encourage the use of cloth face coverings to lower the risk of spreading the coronavirus.”
There have been over 2.16 cases of coronavirus in the US and nearly 118,000 deaths.
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