(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — Fresh off the heels of President Donald Trump announcing Americans are “tired” of hearing about COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a rare press briefing on Wednesday to plead with the public to continue wearing a mask and practice social distancing.

Jay Butler, the agency’s deputy director for infectious diseases, leveled with Americans and said, “I recognize that we are all getting tired, the impact that COVID-19 has had on our lives” and said wearing masks “continues to be as important as it’s ever been.”

With more people moving indoors due to cooling weather and flu season approaching, Butler noticed a “distressing trend” of rapidly increasing cases and an increased rate of hospitalizations in the country.

Following those remarks, CDC Director Robert Redfield updated guidelines on when a person is at risk when in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, saying it only takes 15 minutes over a 24 hour period to establish risk.

Before, it was cautioned against continuous contact.

Said Redfield, “It’s based on data that one didn’t have four months ago.”

COVID-19 has infected over 8.3 million Americans and killed over 221,000, according to Johns Hopkins University. 

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