Wearing a mask is no substitute for keeping at least six-feet away distance from other people because of the possibility of coming into contact with coronavirus, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned Friday.
"We have to make sure we don't forget the most important thing is to keep the six-foot physical distance from individuals," Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the White House coronavirus task force, said on Fox News' "Fox and Friends." "It's become clear that even when you try to do that, with certain necessities of life, going out to get food, or going to a pharmacy to get your medications, you may come into closer contact."
There has been some recent information that the virus can be spread even when people are just speaking, let alone coughing or sneezing, said Fauci, so in some situations where distance can't be maintained, "some sort of facial covering" is indicated. However, he warned that people should not take away professional equipment from healthcare providers who need it.
Fauci also commented on reports about a Chinese study, quoted by Dr. Mehmet Oz earlier on the program, showing 37% of doctors feel that the use of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine is a beneficial treatment against coronavirus.
"That was not a very robust study,' said Fauci. "It is still possible there was a beneficial effect but the study just quoted on a scale of strength of evidence that's not overwhelmingly strong...37% of doctors feel that it's beneficial. We don't operate on how you feel."
He added that it's important not to "make the leap" that the medication is a 'knockout drug."
"We still need to do the kinds of studies that prove that not just this one, but any intervention is truly safe and effective," said Fauci.
Doctors can, however, still prescribe the medication "off label," if they believe it will help patients, he added.