Obama encourages social distancing, mask-wearing over Labor Day weekend

Former President Obama on Saturday encouraged Americans to remember the coronavirus pandemic this holiday weekend, saying everyone should still wear a mask and practice social distancing.

“It might be Labor Day weekend, but let’s all remember that we’re still in the middle of a pandemic,” Obama wrote on Twitter.

“Wear a mask, practice social distancing, and follow the experts. It’ll save lives,” he added.

It might be Labor Day weekend, but let’s all remember that we’re still in the middle of a pandemic. Wear a mask, practice social distancing, and follow the experts. It’ll save lives.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 5, 2020

Coronavirus cases rose following other summer holidays, including Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.

Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, this week also issued a similar warning for everyone to remain vigilant and not let their guard down if gathering with others.

He said people can “have an enjoyable weekend” if they exercise those cautionary steps.

“You don’t need to lock yourself down, but don’t be careless about things,” he said.

He said he is especially concerned about Midwestern states, urging them to follow physical distancing guidelines, wear masks and avoid large crowds.

“There are several states that are at risk for surging, namely North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois,” Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on Thursday.

Those six states saw single-day records for new cases, according to the COVID Tracking Project. An estimated 28 percent of all nationwide cases in the past week have occurred in the Midwest, with an average of about 10,000 new cases every day. 

The U.S. has around 40,000 new cases per day currently, a number that fallen from the higher peak of around 70,000 per day in late July.

However, Fauci warned this week that that figure is still “unacceptably high” heading into the fall and flu season.

“We’ve got to get it down. I’d like to see it 10,000 or less, hopefully less,” he said. 

President Trump also implored Americans to “remain vigilant” over the holiday week.

Despite the concern of experts, Trump on Friday declared that U.S. is “rounding the turn” on the novel coronavirus, projecting optimism about the progress on a vaccine and the economic recovery.