By: Devika Kandelwal
September 16 2020
False: Joe Biden did not call on all governors to have a mandate on masks.
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Fact-Check
The Verdict False
On Aug. 13, Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden called on all U.S. governors to mandate mask wearing to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Claim ID 9cb3c677
On Aug. 13, Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden called on all U.S. governors to mandate mask wearing to slow the spread of the coronavirus.During the ABC town hall, anchor George Stephanopoulos, said that Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden “called on all governors” to mandate mask-wearing. To this, U.S. President Donald Trump replied, “Well, no, but he didn’t do it. I mean, he never did it.” With this statement, Trump implied that Biden did not call on governors to mandate mask-wearing. However, this claim is false. Last month, Biden called on all U.S. governors to mandate mask-wearing to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Biden, along with his running mate, Kamala Harris, made the call for a nationwide mandate on masks. “Every single American should be wearing a mask when they’re outside for the next three months,” Biden said. “Every governor should mandate mandatory mask-wearing.” Hours after Biden's announcement, Trump accused Biden of politicizing the pandemic with the request, asserting that a mask mandate would cripple the economy, reported the Voice of America. Trump has previously said he didn't agree with a national mask mandate, saying people should have "certain freedom". The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.