This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

WASHINGTON (KDVR) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommend that Americans wear cloth face coverings while in public to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The new guidance was revealed at the White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing on Friday. It came not long after Colorado Gov. Jared Polis made a similar recommendation for people in the state.

Guide: How to make a homemade mask, with or without sewing

President Donald Trump said the recommendation was voluntary, and that he wasn’t planning on wearing a mask.

The government is not asking the public to use manufactured masks that provide a higher-level of protection, such as N95 masks. Those types of masks are in short supply and needed for healthcare workers.

The face covering guidance is in addition to social distancing guidelines already in effect.

The new advice is a change from the previous guidance from the government, which said the general public did not need to wear masks.