'STOP BUYING MASKS': US Surgeon General and VP say masks won't help fight coronavirus, as demand for emergency supplies increases
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- Vice President Mike Pence, now the head of the US coronavirus task force, said on Saturday that the "average American" does not need to "go out and buy" a mask to protect themselves from coronavirus.
- Pence also said the US is working with 3M and other manufacturers to produce at least 35 million more masks per month.
- Photos and reports have shown masks and other supplies flying off the shelves as Americans grapple with the possibility of an outbreak in the US.
- The US surgeon general told people in a tweet to stop buying masks, calling them "NOT effective."
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Vice President Mike Pence said at a press conference Saturday that there is no need for people in the US to buy and wear masks to protect themselves from the new coronavirus.
The announcement came after the US confirmed its first coronavirus death — a person in Washington state. At the press conference, Trump, Pence, and other administration officials spoke about the coronavirus threat.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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