CHICAGO (News Nation) — McDonald’s announced a mask requirement on Friday, joining other national chains like Starbucks, Walmart and Target, amid a patchwork set of state requirements across the nation.
President Donald Trump has been against a national mask mandate. On Wednesday, he said it should be up to the governors.
“A lot of the governors, they have different requirements,” Trump said. “Some of the governors are very strong on masks; others aren’t. I think it’s really going to ultimately be up to them.”
He was seen in public wearing a face covering for the first time on July 11 and said on Twitter it is “patriotic” to wear a mask when you can’t social distance.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Wednesday again called for a national mask requirement.
“We need a mandate at the federal level that will uniformly require masks across the country,” she said in a statement. “This isn’t a political issue.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended most people wear cloth face coverings to protect others.
“We are not defenseless against COVID-19,” CDC director Dr. Robert R. Redfield said in a statement. “Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus – particularly when used universally within a community setting. All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.”
The exception to the CDC rules are “for children under age 2, or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.”
