It is no secret that the spread of coronavirus can be restricted by following a few simple guidelines such as social distancing and wearing a mask. Donald Trump has never supported the idea of wearing a mask, claiming it is a two-edged sword. In short, the president suggested wearing a mask has certain disadvantages. Admiral Brett Giroir has debunked the president's claim.

A member of the White House coronavirus task force, Giroir said in a recently-concluded interview that wearing a mask has no downside. This statement doesn't coincide with Trump's earlier explanation to support his decision to not wear a mask, even in public. The president claims wearing a mask has its own problems.

The assistant secretary for health at the US Department of Health and Human Services, Giroir opened up about wearing a mask during an interview on ABC's This Week. Emphasizing on the importance of wearing a mask, Giroir said about 90 percent of people need to wear a mask in public places in hotspot areas, to restrict the spread of coronavirus. He added that wearing a mask has no downside.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal last month, Trump revealed why he hesitates to encourage people to wear masks, despite public health officials touting it as an effective measure to restrict the spread of COVID-19. Insisting that masks are a double-edged sword, the president went on to explain that people touch and grab the masks they wear, adding that he sees them doing this all the time.

Moreover, after taking the mask off, people tend to drop it on the desk, and then touch their eyes and nose, the president noted. Finally paying heed to his aides, who have been pleading him for over a week to set an example for his supporters, Trump wore a mask for the first time during a public appearance on July 11. The president was visiting wounded service members at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Trump has recently slammed the CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines as they are linked to school reopening. He accused the CDC's guidelines of being tough and expensive via a tweet and threatened to cut off school funding if they refused to open in another tweet, ignoring the fact that the federal government has limited authority to do so.

Giroir told ABC's George Stephanopoulos that the guidelines were right on target, and noted that the task force thinks they are strong. Noting that the United States still needs to restrict the spread of the virus, he said putting children back in the classroom can only be considered once the virus is under control.