The masks seem to work to fight the coronavirus, so some reject them and the US exceed 100,000 deaths

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Trump says he wore face mask on private visit to Ford 4:05

(CNN) - In the United States, there is disagreement about whether it is necessary to continue taking protective measures against the coronavirus. However, a leading researcher points out that the data is clear: the way forward in the covid-19 pandemic is determined by masks.

"Now we have really clear evidence that wearing masks works - they probably have 50% protection against transmission," Dr. Chris Murray, director of the Institute for Health Measurement and Assessment (IHME), told CNN. English) from the University of Washington.

"And so what happens over the next month or two mostly depends on how people respond," he added.

But, while health experts emphasize the importance of wearing face masks, the issue has taken on political overtones. United States President Donald Trump has refrained from covering his face in public, while his potential rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, has worn masks, setting a bet in the partisan debate over whether masks are a paranoid restriction or a necessary precaution.

At least 1,692,786 people in the United States had been infected with the virus by Wednesday afternoon, and 99,783 lost their lives, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Projected Coronavirus Deaths for August in the US They fell to 132,000 - 11,000 fewer deaths than expected a week ago - according to the IHME model, one of more than a dozen highlighted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

• LEE: Biden criticizes Trump for mocking the use of masks to prevent coronavirus

Murray indicated that behavioral changes such as wearing masks could be responsible for the reduction.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's leading infectious disease expert, told CNN on Wednesday morning that "simple" actions like wearing masks and washing hands are crucial.

"Those are the things everyone should seriously consider doing," Fauci said.

Many officials have urged its residents to wear the masks. Former CDC Acting Director Dr. Richard Besser called it "an American move," and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said wearing a mask is not a political issue, it is about "loving your neighbor."

Still, warmer weather and the holiday weekend drove large crowds from their homes into public spaces, with many people without face protection.

Fauci noted that such meetings of people in a nearby space and without masks were "very worrying ... That is really tempting fate and looking for trouble."

A "second wave" of coronavirus infections is not inevitable, Fauci added, if there is proper case identification, isolation and contact tracking.

A health professional takes a blood sample for an antibody test at the Diagnostic and Wellness Center in Torrance, California.

The tests could be wrong and the risk would be higher

Many of the reopens in the country rely on screening tests and data showing low transmission of the virus. But the accuracy of some tests has been questioned.

Antibody tests used to determine if people have been infected with covid-19 in the past could give incorrect results up to half the time, the CDC warned in a new guideline published on its website.

Also, healthcare providers may need to screen people twice, the agency said. These tests, which look for evidence of an immune response to infection, are not accurate enough to make political decisions.

• READ: Covid-19 antibody tests give wrong results up to half the time, CDC says

There are also implications for making individual decisions. Although there is still little evidence to show that recovering from the virus provides immunity from contracting covid-19 again, health experts fear that if a test falsely shows the presence of antibodies, this may influence people's behavior as if they had already had it. infection and now they were protected.

And the numbers may even be inaccurate from tests of the current disease.

Doctors increasingly report that they cannot find evidence of the virus until they do deep tests on the respiratory system. Many children have been admitted to hospitals seriously ill but do not turn positive until after several tests.

This is not just a problem for treating patients, it also casts doubt on whether low case reports really mean it is time to reopen workplaces and public spaces.

A group of people share on a Lake Tillery sandbar in Mount Gilead, North Carolina, this Monday.

The trend of the numbers of contagions

Coronavirus infection rates vary from state to state.

Illinois appears to be reaching a "downward trend": The week ending May 16 is the first with fewer deaths from coronavirus compared to the previous week, said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of public health for Illinois at a press conference.

But this possible trend is still in its early stages, Ezike clarified, and the public has a responsibility to continue to decrease the spread.

New York, the state most affected by the virus, reported on Monday that 73 people died in a single day, it is the lowest number of daily deaths since the start of the pandemic in the United States, said Governor Andrew Cuomo.

But other regions do not have the same good news. As of Wednesday, in 14 states the number of cases continued to rise.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has warned its residents to remain vigilant because the state still records a constant number of cases.

Meanwhile, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said the state will not let its guard down, despite public pressure and a decrease in cases.

"Now, I am not going to be intimidated to ignore science and make political calculations," Whitmer said. "Let's not make this sacrifice, of us here in Michigan, to be in vain, and end up seeing our numbers start to increase again ... That means masks, distancing and handwashing."

• READ: What we know, and what we don't know yet, about the coronavirus

The city of Washington will pass this Friday to Phase 1 of reopening, as announced by Mayor Muriel Bowser at a press conference.

The district has seen a 14-day decrease in community coronavirus infections, as reported by calculations by the city's Health Department, one of the key metrics for reopening.

"I want to clarify this: covid-19 is still in our community, in our region, in our nation," said Bowser. And he warned that moving to Phase 1 means that more people can be exposed as more individuals will go out into the community.

8,406 coronavirus cases have been reported in the district, with 445 deaths.

A waiter serves customers at the L'escale restaurant in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Bowser added that the July 4 parade Trump wanted was canceled "several weeks ago." As he explained, "our great concern would be how to handle fireworks and we will continue to work with (the Department of the Interior) on that."

Stable figures encourage reopening

Every US state It has reopened, suspending restrictions for businesses and public spaces, often in phases specific to the needs of the area.

Big gatherings could soon resume in Florida.

Walt Disney World proposed Wednesday that the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopen on July 11, and that of EPCOT and Hollywood Studios on July 15, according to a presentation by Jim McPhee, senior vice president of operations for Walt Disney World.

Employees and visitors would be required to wear face masks and undergo temperature controls before entering the parks. In addition, the public would have to reserve their attendance in advance.

There would be gradual openings before July 11 for employees and others, McPhee said. The Orange County mayor and Florida governor have yet to authorize the measure.

Also in Florida, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Giménez announced that beaches and hotels may reopen Monday.

Giménez pointed out that resting in the sand, walking, swimming and jogging will be allowed with some restrictions, including social distancing of at least 2 meters and wearing masks when that is not possible.

Hotels will be able to reopen at 100% capacity, and common areas will remain at 50% capacity.

In California, Governor Gavin Newsom said, "We are walking into the unknown."

The state was one of the first to impose restrictions and has been among the last to lift them.

More than 80% of counties in California can begin the third phase of a four-stage plan for reopening. This phase includes allowing beauty salons and hair salons, along with retail stores, to resume their activities.

• MIRA: What is group immunity and how far are we from it?

The state has reported 99,810 cases and 3,826 deaths, but hospitalizations have decreased slightly in the past two weeks, and the number of people in intensive care units remains stable, the governor said.

The final phase of reopening the state includes the resumption of concerts and spectator events, but Newsom says "we haven't gotten there yet."

CNN's Steve Almasy, Natasha Chen, Nicky Robertson, Christina Maxouris, Arman Azad, Keith Allen, Andy Rose, Jennifer Henderson, Rob Frehse and Holly Yan all contributed to this report.

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