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President Trump said Friday that the Centers for Disease Control is advising public use of a “nonmedical, cloth-faced covering as an additional voluntary public health measure” — but indicated that he probably wouldn’t use one himself.

“It’s voluntary so you don’t have to do it,” Trump said at the daily coronavirus task force briefing. “They suggest it for a period of time. I don’t think I’m going to be doing it.”

Trump cited research that suggests that asymptomatic people can transmit covid-19. He called the voluntary face coverings — which can be a basic cloth or fabric mask made at home — an additional step that Americans can take to defend against transmission of the virus. He emphasized that the guidance was voluntary and that the CDC was not advising people to use medical-grade or surgical-grade masks, which “should be reserved for front-line health-care workers.”

The White House and the CDC have sparred in recent days about whether Americans should wear face coverings in public, The Post reported earlier Friday. The main point of contention was whether to recommend universal use of face covering or focus on areas with high community transmission. Federal health officials, including those at the CDC, contended that the guidance would only make sense if it was recommended broadly.

Trump said the new guidelines do not replace recommendations on social distancing and hand washing.

Later, U.S. surgeon general Jerome Adams acknowledged that guidance around masks has been confusing. He said that the CDC, WHO, his office and most public health organizations initially recommended against the general public wearing masks.

He reiterated research that shows that asymptomatic and presymptomatic people can transmit the virus before they display symptoms.

“Based on the best evidence available at the time, it was not deemed that that would have a significant impact on whether a healthy person wearing a mask would contract covid-19,” Adams said. “We have always recommended symptomatic people wear a mask.”