Health Alert: CDC Prevention Guidance for Facial Coverings (April 13, 2020)

Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Brasilia, Brazil (April 13, 2020) 

Location:  Worldwide 

Event:  Changes in CDC Prevention Guidance for the Use of Facial Coverings  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance that now recommends people wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. 

The use of cloth facial coverings is intended to diminish the amount of respiratory droplets that wearers put out into the environment, thus protecting others in close proximity to the wearer.  Facial coverings are not predominantly a measure to protect the wearer but rather to protect others from the wearer, who may be potentially spreading the virus even if they are not yet ill. 

The CDC has issued a Global Level 3 Warning which recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential international travel due to widespread ongoing global transmission COVID-19. 

Actions to Take

  • Dial 192 for emergency services in Brazil if you have severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing. 
  • Review the latest CDC guidance regarding the use of facial coverings.
  • Consider making or purchases a cloth face mask for use in public settings where social distancing is difficult.  See here for sew and no sew instructions

Resources: 

Assistance:  

United States Embassy and Consulates General in Brazil:    

U.S. Embassy Brasilia   
SES – Av. das Nações, Quadra 801, Lote 03   
Brasília, DF – 70403-900   
Phone: (61) 3312-7000   
After-Hours Emergencies: (61) 3312-7400   
E-mail: BrasiliaACS@state.gov   

Embassy Branch Office in Belo Horizonte  
Avenida do Contorno, 4520 / 2nd floor – Funcionários
Belo Horizonte, MG – 30110-028
Telephone: +55 (31) 3338-4000
E-mail:  BrasiliaACS@state.gov     

U.S. Consulate General Recife   
Rua Goncalves Maia, 163 Bairro Boa Vista
Recife, PE – 50.070-060   
Phone: (81) 3416-3050   
After-Hours Emergencies: (81) 99916-9470
Email: RecifeACS@state.gov    
   
U.S. Consulate General Rio de Janeiro   
Av. Presidente Wilson, 147 Castelo    
Rio de Janeiro, RJ — 20030-020    
Entrance at Rua Santa Luzia   
Phone: (21) 3823-2000   
After-Hours Emergencies: (21) 3823-2029   
Email:  ACSRio@state.gov   
   
U.S. Consulate General São Paulo   
Rua Henri Dunant, 500,   
Chácara Santo Antonio,   
São Paulo, SP — 04709-110   
Phone: (11) 3250-5000   
After-Hours Emergencies: (11) 3250-5373   
E-mail: SaoPauloACS@state.gov    

U.S. Consulate General Porto Alegre  
Avenida Assis Brasil, 1889 Passo d’Areia
Porto Alegre, RS – 91350-110
Phone: 51-3345-6000
After-Hours Emergencies: 51-3345-6000
Email:  PortoalegreACS@state.gov

For further information:   

Note:  The timestamp on this e-mail message may reflect Washington, D.C. time, which may differ from local time.