Japan’s top government spokesman said Wednesday that people don’t need to wear masks outside provided they’re taking proper distancing precautions, after a top medical expert floated the idea that face coverings were no longer necessary in outdoor settings.
Masks play a key role in lowering infection risks, so they should be worn when people can’t maintain distance outdoors, Hirokazu Matsuno said Wednesday at a news conference in Tokyo. But when able to keep a distance from others, one doesn’t necessarily need to wear masks, especially considering the risks of heatstroke as temperatures rise, he said.
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