Obama on coronavirus: skip the masks, stay calm

a close up of Barack Obama with a beard looking at the camera: Former US president Barack Obama has called for calm over the coronavirus outbreak

© Jim Watson Former US president Barack Obama has called for calm over the coronavirus outbreak Former US president Barack Obama called Wednesday for people to take "common sense precautions" over the coronavirus outbreak -- advising them to follow hand-washing guidelines but not to wear masks.

"Save the masks for health care workers. Let's stay calm, listen to the experts, and follow the science," tweeted Obama, who has kept a low public profile since leaving office in 2017.

He said people should keep track of updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -- and stay home if they are sick.

Pictures: COVID-19 outbreak

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$Slide 87 of 95: NEW YORK CITY, USA - JANUARY 31, 2020: Zhang Jun (L), China's Permanent Representative to the UN, has stated in his press briefing more than 130 patients have been cured of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus. Maria Khrenova/TASS (Photo by Maria Khrenova\TASS via Getty Images)$
$Slide 91 of 95: KRASNOYARSK, RUSSIA - JANUARY 23, 2020: A Rospotrebnadzor (Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being) official uses a thermal imaging device to conduct a temperature check of passengers arriving at Krasnoyarsk International Airport on a plane from Cam Rahn, Vietnam, in connection with an outbreak of coronavirus. Andrei Samsonov/TASS (Photo by Andrei Samsonov\TASS via Getty Images)$

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A medical worker sprays disinfectant at Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center in Daegu, South Korea, on March 4.

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Visitors wearing protective masks line up in front of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, on March 4.

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Slovakia's Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini attends a news conference during the summit of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries to discuss response to the spread of the coronavirus, in Prague, Czech Republic, on March 4.

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A woman wearing a protective mask serves tea at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 4.

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A Jammu and Kashmir police officer briefs passengers about guarding against the coronavirus in Lakhanpur, India, on March 4.

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U.S. Vice President Mike Pence gives a news briefing about the coronavirus with members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on March 3.

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People wearing face masks cross a road in Shanghai, China, on March 2.

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The U.S. White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah L. Birx attends a press briefing, as Vice President Mike Pence looks on, in the White House on March 2. As of March 3, six people had died in the state and at least 100 confirmed cases were reported across the country.

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Government officials make phone calls to members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus to check if they have symptoms of COVID-19, at the Goyang City Hall in South Korea on March 3. The country confirmed its 29th death and more than 4,800 cases of the virus infection on March 3.

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A Brazilian scientists, who is among those that concluded coronavirus DNA sequencing, inserts a tube into a portable device connected to a computer that decodes virus DNA, at the Tropical Medicine Institute of the São Paulo University Medical School in Brazil on March 2.

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Rescue workers wearing masks and protective clothing check a man's temperature during a mock drill on handling suspected carriers of the coronavirus, in Peshawar, Pakistan, on March 2.

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A paramedic wearing a protective suit sanitizes the hands of people in Ashkelon, Israel, on March 2.

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Personnel from the health ministry check tourists' temperatures and for any symptoms at the Rumichaca border bridge in Tulcán, Ecuador, on March 1.

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A South Korean soldier wearing protective gear sanitizes a street in front of the city hall in Daegu on March 2.

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Students of Hanoi National University of Education attend the first day of classes after returning to the university, which was closed for over a month due to the coronavirus outbreak, in Hanoi, Vietnam, on March 2.

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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference on the coronavirus outbreak as (L-R) U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield and U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams look on, at the White House on Feb. 29.

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Pedestrians wearing face masks cross a square in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 29.

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A police officer wears a protective face mask on the street in Mexico City, Mexico, on Feb. 29.

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A member of the Iraqi security forces wears a protective face mask in Baghdad on Feb. 29.

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A cleaner sanitizes a wagon on a regional train at the Garibaldi train station in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 28. Authorities are taking new measures against the COVID-19 outbreak as death toll in the country reached 21 on Feb. 29.

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A researcher works in a lab that is developing testing for the COVID-19 at the Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation in Nutley, New Jersey, U.S., on Feb 28. The facility develops novel therapies for some of the worlds most difficult diseases.

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Commuters wear face masks on a street in Karachi, Pakistan, on Feb. 28, as the country detected its first two cases of novel coronavirus on Feb. 26.

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U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaks next to Health and Human Services Secretary, Alex Azar, during a coronavirus task force meeting at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Feb. 27.

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A man wearing a face mask walks past an installation of the Olympic rings in Tokyo, Japan, on Feb. 28. The International Olympic Committee is "committed" to holding the 2020 games in Tokyo as planned despite the widening coronavirus outbreak, the body's president has pledged.

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Umrah pilgrims are seen after the cancellation of the departure to Mecca following the Saudi government's temporary ban announced on Feb. 27, to keep the country safe from the virus outbreak, at Soekarno Hatta International Airport, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Feb. 27.

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A health worker takes part in a drill to handle suspected carriers of coronavirus, at a hotel in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on Feb. 26.

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A resident of Jongno-Gu district wearing a face mask sprays disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus at the Jogyesa Buddhist temple in Seoul, on Feb. 27.

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School staff leave after the government announced a 14-day closure as they found a eight-year old student was infected with the virus, at Phraharuthai Donmuang School in Bangkok, Thailand, on Feb. 26.

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Personnel wearing protective gear spray anti-septic solution at a traditional market in Seoul on Feb. 26.

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Spanish police officers patrol outside the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in Tenerife, Canary Island, Spain, on Feb. 25.

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South Korean President Moon Jae-in talks during a special government meeting to discuss measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, at the Daegu City Hall in Daegu on Feb. 25.

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Fans wear masks at Stadio San Paolo in Naples, Italy, on Feb. 25, prior to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between SSC Napoli and FC Barcelona.

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A newly wed couple wear protective masks as they take photos with family in Hong Kong on Feb. 24.

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Two men ride a bike as they wear protective masks in Najaf, Iraq, on Feb. 24.

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Bruce Aylward of the World Health Organization (WHO) attends a news conference on the WHO-China Joint Mission on coronavirus in Beijing, on Feb. 24.

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Members of the Guardia di Finanza wearing face masks stop a car, amid a coronavirus outbreak in northern Italy, in Casalpusterlengo, Italy, on Feb. 24.

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U.N. Secretary General António Guterres speaks during an update on the situation at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, on Feb. 24.

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A street vendor sells face masks outside a railway station in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 24.

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Figures depicting coronavirus and "carnevals-virus" are seen at the Shrove Monday celebrations in Düsseldorf, Germany, on Feb. 24.

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A reveler wears protective face mask at the Venice Carnival, the last days of which were called off after third death was reported in the country, in Italy on Feb. 23.

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A couple wears masks during the Aalst Carnival parade in Belgium on Feb. 23.

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People wear masks in downtown Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 23. Iran's health ministry confirmed the death toll to eight in the country as of Feb. 23.

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People in traditional Korean hanbok dresses wear face masks as they visit Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on Feb. 23.

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Buddhist monks wearing protective face masks pray during a blessing ceremony for the people affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, at a temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Feb. 22.

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Members of Red Cross board a Colombian Air Force plane that will evacuate the citizens from coronavirus-hit China, at the CATAM military base in Bogota, Colombia, on Feb. 22.

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French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire speaks next to the Junior Minister for Economy and Finance Agnès Pannier-Runacher during a press conference after a meeting on the coronavirus' economic consequences, at the Economy Ministry in Paris, France, on Feb. 21.

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A medical worker checks the temperature of a man wearing a protective mask at a quarantine checkpoint in the Son Loi commune in Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam, on Feb. 20.

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A Chinese tourist, who was tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus and isolated for treatment, gestures while accompanied by medical staff after she was discharged from the hospital following her recovery, near Colombo in Sri Lanka, on Feb. 19.

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A woman wearing a mask in precaution of the virus outbreak prays at the Kwan Im Hood Cho Temple in Singapore on Feb. 19.

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Passengers wearing protective facemasks amid concerns of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak wait to board their plane at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia on Feb. 19.

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Media personnel chase after a passenger (C) who disembarked from the Diamond Princess cruise ship at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, on Feb. 19.

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Indians who were airlifted from Wuhan wait to collect their release certificates before leaving the ITBP quarantine facility in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 17.

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Military medics stand in a formation after deplaning from a transport aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) at the Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, China, on Feb. 17.

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A teacher gives a lecture with the help of her smart phone during an online class at a middle school in Donghai, China, on Feb. 17.

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Pictures of Pakistani students studying in Wuhan, China, are displayed by their family members during a demonstration in Lahore, Pakistan, on Feb. 16. The family members are demanding the evacuation of their relatives.

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A U.S. passenger gives a thumbs up to reporters while arriving at the Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, on Feb. 17, after disembarking in Yokohama from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

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Nepalese nationals who were in Wuhan walk out from a Nepal Airlines plane at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, on Feb. 16. The chartered plane brought back 175 nationals from Hubei province.

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A classroom is cleaned in preparation for students' return to school in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Feb. 15.

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A woman is seen wearing a protective mask as she holds a rose on Valentine's Day, while waiting for the subway at a station during rush hour in Beijing, on Feb. 14.

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Passengers and children stand on the deck of the cruise ship Diamond Princess, as the vessel's passengers continue to be tested for coronavirus (COVID-19), at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, Japan, on Feb. 13. Aboard this quarantined ship, 219 people have tested positive with the virus.

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Family members of Pakistani students studying in Wuhan, rally outside the Chinese Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan, on Feb. 13., for the evacuation of their children from the Chinese city.

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Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen (C) speaks to passengers on board the Westerdam cruise ship in Sihanoukville on Feb. 14, where the liner on Feb. 13 was docked after being refused entry at other Asian ports due to fears of the virus.

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Jay Butler, deputy director for Infectious Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), speaks to the media inside the Emergency Operations Center in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., on Feb. 13.

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An employee receives payment from a customer through a container on a stick, in Beijing on Feb. 12. A ramp has also been set up to deliver food from the counter.

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A laboratory technician helps a colleague remove the protective suit after leaving a laboratory in Shenyang, China, on Feb. 12.

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People wave at family on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked at Daikoku Pier, Yokohama, Japan, on Feb. 11.

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Members of the media stand near the cruise ship Diamond Princess, where dozens of passengers were tested positive for coronavirus, at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama on Feb. 11.

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A Malaysian Royal Guard wears a protective mask as he stands guard outside National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Feb. 10.

Brazilian citizens from Wuhan arrive at the Air Force base of Anapolis, in Brazil on Feb. 9.

Workers produce protective clothing at a factory in Wuxi, China, on Feb. 8. The factory, which previously produced suits and sportswear, switched to production of protective clothing as demand increased due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

A Hindu devotee wears a mask as she carries a milk pot on her head at a shrine in Batu Caves during the Thaipusam festival in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 8.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks to the media during a press conference on the coronavirus situation in Hong Kong on Feb. 8. Lam said that the government has bought 48 million masks and received 17 million more from China to counter the shortage of masks in Hong Kong.

South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun has his temperature checked during a visit to a clinic in Gyeonggi, South Korea, on Feb. 8.

Flight attendants wearing protective clothing and masks serve snacks to Canadians, who had been evacuated from China due to the outbreak of novel Coronavirus on an American charter plane, on another aircraft taking them to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton from the Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, Canada, on Feb. 7.

People spray chemical to sterilize vehicles against the virus in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam, on Feb. 7.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen speaks about the coronavirus situation during a news conference at the Centers for Disease Control in Taipei, Taiwan, on Feb. 7.

Members of an emergency team participate in a drill to prepare for the potential arrival of passengers infected with the coronavirus at the Viru Viru International Airport, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, on Feb. 6.

Airport security staff checks passengers using a thermal sensor screen at the Hong Kong International Airport on Feb. 6.

A tourist receives a free protective face mask from Buddhist volunteers in Hanoi on Feb. 6.

Workers in protective gear are seen on Japan Coast Guard boats in Yokohama, on Feb. 5, bringing patients from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship.

Beds are set up at an exhibition center, which was converted into a hospital, in Wuhan on Feb. 4.

This handout photo released by Malaysia's Ministry of Health shows citizens being directed onto a bus by health officials as they arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia in Feb. 4.

Health services staff members wearing protective gear interact with passengers at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Feb. 2.

Members of the Association for Sri Lanka and China Social and Cultural Cooperation (ASLCSCC) hold candles during a vigil to pray for people who are suffering from coronavirus across the world, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Feb. 1.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca speaks to the press after a Turkish cargo plane carrying 42 passengers from Wuhan landed at Etimesgut Military Airport in Ankara, Turkey, on Feb. 1.

Officials make preparations in Turkish Air Forces' A400M cargo plane at Etimesgut Military Airbase in Ankara, which is to depart to China to fly Turkish citizens out of Wuhan, on Jan. 31.

China's U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun stated in his press briefing that over 130 patients have been cured of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus in New York City on Jan. 31.

Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha (C) speaks to journalists during a visit to Suvarnabhumi Airport to inspect measures in place to monitor passengers as they arrive in Bangkok on Jan. 29.

Children are seen wearing facial masks as a precaution after Nepal confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the country, at Matribhumi School in Madhyapur Thimi, Nepal, on Jan. 29.

(L-R) Sabine Hagenauer of the infection department at the 4th medical department of Kaiser Franz Josef Hospital, Michael Binder, medical director of the Vienna Hospital Association, and Judith Aberle of the department of virology, Medical University Vienna, address a press conference at Kaiser-Franz-Josef hospital in Vienna, Austria, on Jan. 26. A Chinese flight attendant was quarantined in the hospital with symptoms of flu, in what authorities suspected as the first coronavirus case in the country.

A Rospotrebnadzor (Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being) official uses a thermal imaging device to conduct a temperature check of passengers arriving at Krasnoyarsk International Airport on a plane from Cam Rahn, Vietnam, in Russia on Jan. 23.

Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, takes part in a news conference after a meeting of the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee to discuss about the outbreak of Pneumonia in China and other countries due to the 2019-nCoV, in Geneva, on Jan. 22.

Kazakh sanitary-epidemiological service worker uses a thermal scanner to detect travelers from China who may have symptoms possibly connected with the coronavirus at Almaty International Airport in Kazakhstan Jan. 21.

Health officials watch travelers on a thermographic monitor at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, on Jan. 21.

Dozens of diggers work to build a new hospital in Wuhan, on Jan. 25. Due to the large number of infected people, the government decided to establish a temporary 1,000-bed hospital.

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The World Health Organization has said masks, goggles and other protective equipment used by health workers were in short supply due to "rising demand, hoarding and misuse."

The death toll in the US from the virus rose to 11 on Wednesday, as lawmakers in Congress reached a deal to provide more than $8 billion to fight the outbreak.

Nationwide, more than 130 people have so far been infected, with the virus detected in more than a dozen states.

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