Print As coronavirus cases have surged, a public safety measure encouraged by doctors and scientists worldwide to help reduce the chance of infection has remained stubbornly at issue for some Americans: wearing face masks. In fact, as of Friday, 12 U.S. states had not issued mandates requiring the wearing of masks and were seeing high levels of infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the U.S. rapidly approached 300,000 people, based on data from the Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins University. Many of those opposed to wearing masks say that COVID-19 risks are being exaggerated or that mask mandates violate rights, are not enforceable or create polarization. President Trump has mocked the use of masks, though he has worn them at times.