According to The Daily Beast, a phony bulletin with the official CDC letterhead Photoshopped onto it claims that N95 masks should not be used as protection against COVID-19 and that face masks can actually hurt your health. The latter statement is a myth that’s been debunked numerous times by medical experts. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend that the general public wear N95 respirator masks to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including coronavirus (COVID-19),” the doctored document reads. The forgery, which was circulating on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook, is just the latest hoax to make the rounds. Previously, fake exemption cards that excuse an individual from wearing a mask inside stores were being posted online. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. A CDC spokesperson told The Daily Beast that the CDC does not issue public statements by paper letters. Instead, “CDC’s guidance and recommendations are distributed on the agency’s website, officials’ social media accounts, and through news media.” These sources are updated regularly and have the most accurate information. Don’t trust screenshots of documents from any federal agencies as they’re unlikely to be real. And for more things you shouldn’t fall for, check out the 25 Coronavirus Myths You Need to Stop Believing, According to Doctors.
