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The new recommendations do not mean that Americans can relax other public health measures, such as social distancing. Instead, they should wear facial protection while continuing to keep at least six feet between themselves and others, while also remaining at home whenever possible.

What to know about Coronavirus:

Americans also \"shouldn’t go out and buy masks that otherwise should be used in health care settings,\" Schaffner noted. While N95 masks are more effective at keeping particles out and better protect the mask wearer, they are in short supply and should be reserved for health care workers and first responders, according to the CDC.

\"PHOTO:
Erik Pendzich/REX via Shutterstock
PHOTO: A woman with a face mask walks around the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, New York, April 4, 2020.
>

For more information on how to make a cloth mask, see the CDC's mask-making tutorial.

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