Medical community urges public to wear masks

The main trade groups representing hospitals, nurses and doctors issued a public letter today that urges "the American public to take the simple steps we know will help stop the spread of the virus: wearing a face mask, maintaining physical distancing, and washing hands."

The bottom line: Coronavirus cases are rising almost everywhere across the country, and the medical community now is begging the public to take preventive measures to avoid overwhelmed hospitals and higher death counts.