We told you it was coming, and on monday the Navy Hospital ship comfort docked in manhattan to the applause of new yorkers who were careful to adhere to the social distancing rules and avoided newly announced fines of up to 500. The ship has 1,000 beds and 12 operating rooms. Starting today it will take on noncovid19 patients to ease the pressure on local hospitals. Turning now to the conflicting messages weve been hearing lately about Wearing Masks. Hospitals are now straining under a dire shortage, but scientists overseas are now suggesting americans should have been Wearing Masks all along. Heres abcs steve osunsami. Reporter Health Authorities in asia, where the numbers of covid19 cases are improving, say that americans have it all wrong with face masks. The head of the Chinese Center for Disease Control tells Science Magazine the big mistake in the u. S. And europe is people arent Wearing Masks. Many people have asymptomatic or re har research ectis i thadrop scientist at university of san francisco, has looked at data from south korea, hong kong, and taiwan. And they all tell the same story, which is that wearing a mask can decrease transmission by up to 50 . Reporter in geneva, the World Health Organization came out and said the exact opposite. We dont generally recommend the wearing of masks in public. Reporter dr. Anthony fauci says part of the issue is supply, that if Health Workers werent struggling with a shortage of masks, authorities might recommend them for everyone. Were starting to reexamine the possibility that if there are enough masks, should everyone be Wearing Masks . Reporter the president is speaking on this issue saying that he is open to the idea that his administration might recommend that all americans wear face masks all the time for a short period of time. Steve osunsami, abc news, atlanta. Thank you, steve. I feel like weve been talking about this for a couple of weeks right here on world news now. Just because people want to know, should we have been wearing them . Obviously in western countries theyre like, no, no, no, should be the sick people who have them on. But we know in other countries like south korea, japan, theyve been wearing them for a long time. Even before this. Even before this with the pollution. Obviously theyre Wearing Masks and they think thats one of the things that really helped them cut down their numbers. Theres a lot of back and forth. And yesterday, dr. Mike made a great point which is it sometimes forces you to touch your face if youre adjusting and touching more so. Another point that he made as well is that people are not using it corremited or believe they touched it, they throw it away. Guess what, were not done talking about it, were going to go to the experts. Coming up, a doctor on the front lines of the battle against covid19 weighs in on the mask debate. Dr. Imran ali tells us why doityourself cloth masks may do more harm than good and thats next on world news now. The Empire State Building right here in hardhit new york city is now a beacon of support for first responders. The landmark skyscraper was lit up to look like an ambulance as a thank you to doctors, nurses, and other workers on the front lines against this covid19 crisis. And so much that we know about the Novel Coronavirus has been changing day by day. Earlier i spoke with dr. Imran ali, a specialist in hospital medicine at the university of Connecticut Center on aging about everything from Wearing Masks to drinking tea. According to the washington post, cdc officials are considering encouraging people to cover their face not with medical masks but perhaps with doityourself cloth masks. Its something that the president said that he isnt opposed to for a limited period of time. Do you believe this would lead people to have a false sense of security, go out in public, maybe ignore social distancing guidelines . The thing is, social distancing has been the Gold Standard for preventing pandemic even going back to 1832s pandemic not pandemic, epidemic, rather, of cholera in new york city, social distancing really helped stem the tide. Back then we didnt have any treatment. The thing is having a mask, a cloth mask, may help people from coughing and not expelling the droplets out to neighbors. But it still is not ideal. Because these masks can become soiled, can have virus on it. Then when you take them off, put them back on, theyre not properly sanitized. It becomes a hazard in some cases. But it can definitely help prevent somebody from expelling viral particles from coughing, but it still is not the best. When it comes to preventing spread, social distancing has always been proven to be the best solution. Dr. Ali, you and other medical professionals are on the front lines of this. What are you seeing in these icu units that you want to get across to the American People . Death is a very personal family event. And unfortunately, with this infection and people being isolated and visitor restrictions, families are not always there at the bedside in the final moments. Some families are allowed to detective via teleconferencing systems which have been set up in some rooms. Erciem. But that Human Element of being next to your loved one, not being alone at a time of death, is missing. And its very, very sad. And its something thats just very hard to see as a physician. When you see families not being able to be there to say a proper goodbye, to have that closure. Weve also seen a lot of myths circulating online about how to treat or avoid getting coronavirus. Can you address some of the misinformation that is out there and what people should know . Well, i get one from all my patients calling on the phone. Well, drink hot tea and it will prevent the virus. But this is really false. You know, the viral particle goes into your bronchials, into your respiratory tract. It has nothing to do with what you drink, gargle. It has nothing to do with that. The best way to prevent getting sick is to stay away from others and to have people cough in the crook of their arm to prevent that respiratory droplet to spread to others. Dr. Ali called social distancing still the Gold Standard. He said theres Nothing Better than that right now. Medical professionals also pointing out the fact that when we hoard these masks, it makes less available to them. Thank you for that information. Beluga, beluga, beluga thats all i got to say. I know i love saying it. All right, so were going to start off the mix with a beluga whale. Youve heard the term, when the cats away, the mice come out and play. Well, this time the cats us and the mice are the penguins. They get to roll around the zoo now because they get to do what they want, when they want. And the belugas were like, oh my god, i havent seen you since the antarctica, how you doing . Just kidding. A National Geographic expert says belugas are native to the northern hemisphere, so they would never encounter a penguin. So theyre actually like, who that woman . But i see what yyou did ther but you had to make your joke work. Right. And then, no, no, no, i aint dumb, i got this. Right. March of the penguins there in chitown, how about that. Hey, how about this as well. People are alone right now. And a lot of people are used to getting on dating apps and other things but they cant really meet up during this time, obviously, because dangerous, dangerous. What they doing . Theres a dating site called quarantine together, creating connections for those who are just there at home all alone. This new dating site, it launched, again, called quarantine together. I think thats pretty cool for people. The users are offered the option of switching to video chat after talking for 15 minutes. What im getting from this is a love is blind. Like, its less about the profile picture. Less about the bio and more about human interaction. Youre right. Just talking to someone. Because of the times were in, the app actually asks you, have you washed your hands . Have you done the necessary precautions . This is where we are in life, guys. During covid19 here . Because things are serious. Imagine if youre like, no, i didnt wash my hands. Then delete, swipe. Swipe and wipe. Wipe it down, clean it. If you want to go on, then go ahead. Well, how about this one. Speaking of social isolation or selfdistancing, social isolation. People are trying to get out and break the rules. This man in the uk decided he wanted to dress as a bush. Oh, no. So early this person videota. I this is hilarious. Yi to escape the fines. Oh, what is he doing . Oh my goodness. Jack calling him a tumbleweed. How about this in england with this duet between a musician and his dog. The dogs name is ember. Recognize that song . Yep, i think were alone now. Take us to break. An important announcement from abc7 kgotv. On wednesday, april 29, abc7s digital frequency will change. If you watch abc7 with an antenna, you need to mark your calendar and plan to rescan. On april 29th, grab your remote, go to the menu, select setup, choose antenna, and then channel scan or auto tune. Your tv will do the rest. Its that easy. Make sure you can keep watching abc7. Plan to rescan on april 29th. This morning on world news now, a u. S. Navy hospital ship arrives in new york harbor. It will help relieve the citys hospitals and deaths as coronavirus climb. Leaders warn the worst is yet to come. As cases surge across the country, new models indicate itrs are afraid and see a peak exhausted. See what theyre doing to protect themselves and their families. Plus the race to find a vaccine. What were learning about the Clinical Trials and when testing on humans is set to begin. How the most popular show on tv today, tiger king, has just prompted a new development in a decadesold missing persons cold case. So many people are asking, wheres don . Its tuesday, march 31st. Its tuesday, march 31st. March 31st feels like march 71st. Right. So, i finally got to the second episode of tiger king. You talked so much about it yesterday. I wasnt ready, i really wasnt, yall. Theres a lot. There are a lot of people who are not ready who are jumping right into this, because theyre just like, take me away. Right. Weltalk about ns the coronavirus now infecting more than 160,000 americans. President trump says more than 1 Million People have been tested across the country, and he acknowledged that challenging times are ahead, especially in the next 30 days. Nationwide more than 500 died from the virus in a single day pushing the u. S. Death toll beyond 3,000. But new models indicate the u. S. Is still weeks from the peak of the pandemic. Nonessential businesses have been shut down in more than 40 states. At one point monday there was one death every three minutes. Abcs david muir has the latest. Reporter across this country the grim images. In new york city a body loaded into a refrigerated truck outside this brooklyn hospital. Please stay inside. Please pray for the people. Reporter new york city bracing for a mounting death toll. More than 1,200 lives lost. 250 lost in just the last 24 hours. Youre going to see the number continue to climb. Well then hit the apex and thats the point where we really have to make sure our Health Care System doesnt collapse. And then all the experts say youll be on the other side of the curve and the numbers will start to drop and youll be on the way down. Reporter the Navy Hospital ship comfort pulling into new york harbor. The 1,000bed facility ready to relieve the pressure of the citys overwhelmed hospitals. In the heart of manhattan a new Field Hospital specifically for as new york is pushed to the brink the president s own team warning the potential u. S. Death toll could soar as high as 100,000 to 200,000 in this country. President trump has reversed his hope to reopen the country by easter, now extending social distancing guidelines to april 30th. This is what the president said. Challenging times are ahead for the next 30 days. And this is a very vital 30 days. Were sort of putting it all on the line, this 30 days. Reporter 911 call centers stretched thin. In new york a record 6,000 calls in one day. First responders have been hit hard too. About 5,000 members of the nypd are out sick. More than 900 officers and 260 firefighters testing positive for coronavirus. Cities including chicago and detroit watching cases spike too. This Convention Center in detroit will be turned into a 900bed hospital. And in philadelphia this arena at Temple University will be transformed into an overflow hospital after cases there top 1,000. In los angeles the navy hospita patients to ease pressure. Hospitals across this country are reporting drastic shortages of masks and protective gear. A National Survey finding 88 of cities do not have an adequate supply. Mary mcdonald recording this video saying its not just supplies, its basic medication. Were out of tylenol. I dont know what i can do to save people anymore. Reporter california officials warning theyre on the verge of a spike too. The state has at least 5,700 cases. In new orleans for the First Time Since hurricane katrina, the Convention Center there now transformed to deal with an unfolding catastrophe. Over the weekend cases in louisiana jumping from roughly 2,700 on friday to more than 4,000. David muir, abc news, new york. Our thanks to david for that report. More Navy Personnel will soon be on the move in the fight against the virus. A 450person medical unit is preparing to deploy to new orleans and texas. Its believed they will arrive at those destinations over the new orleans being the next epicenter of the outbreak. The los angeles Convention Center is being converted into a Field Hospital as cases increase across california. Between last friday and yesterday, the number of people with the vir who test positive should only go to the hospital if they have serious symptoms. Overnight we learned of the staggering death toll at one facility in western massachusetts. 11 veterans passed away at a longterm nursing facility in the city of holyoke. Live of them tested positive for coronavirus. At least five others were being tested. Five staffmembers also tested positive. The people we depend on to help us recover from coronavirus are getting sick and dying. Its unknown how many doctors and nurses and other Health Care Workers in the u. S. Have become infected, but they are themselves at high risk. This morning hospital workers on thfrarful, hate but vowing to fight what one doctor calls the in i worry aut bringing the virus home from work to my family. Reporter dr. Michelle au is an anesthesiologist in atlanta. With elective surgeries on hold, shes been given one of the most dangerous jobs at her hospital, intubating coronavirus patients who cant breathe on their own. Dr. Au admits shes already updated her will and shes already living separately from her family. I sleep separately in the basement, i use a separate bathroom, i do my laundry separately and make sure no one else handles it. My kids are not allowed into my bedroom. Reporter sarah moore, a nurse in st. Paul, minnesota, and a selfproclaimed germophobe says she did everything right. And still tested positive for the virus. I couldnt get out of bed. I mean, i felt like i was hit by a truck. It was Something Like ive never felt before in my life. And it scared me. Reporter doctors and nurses have become a Critical Link for families unable to visit the hospital. They describe the emotional toll of being the last dying patients. Their families can only say goodbye over a video app online. I just came from a patients room. Hes actively dying. Positive diagnosis of covid19. And his family cant come. So had to facetime his family. And it was just heartbreaking. Reporter and this morning a growing death toll among Health Care Workers, including neurosurgeon James Goodrich of new york. He made medical history in 2017 when he successfully separated conjoined twin boys during a 27hour surgery. If you dont have a Health Care Crisis in your community, please come help us in new york now. Reporter in new york, Governor Andrew Cuomo is urging Health Care Workers in other states to help new york face the overwhelming crush of patients. If youre not busy, come help us, please. And we will return the favor. Reporter as for dr. Au, shes still trying to process a request from her husband, whos also a physician, asking her not to touch their kids. Thats hard to hear. Because, you know, i understand what hes saying. And i know why hes worried. But how can you not hug your kids . Its got to be so tough. Around the country were seeing spontaneous and organized demonstrations of support. Here at world news now and abc news, we say thank you to the brave men and women like dr. Au. We do, and Clinical Trials to find drugs that will stop the spread of covid19 are under way across the country. Three of them in new york state, one through the States Health department, the other two are being run by new york university. Meanwhile, Johnson Johnson has announced human testing of its experimental vaccine will begin by september and it could be available for emergency use in early 2021. So this truth does not hurt. Hardworking emergency room staffers at the university of wa