"Underwear on the Face?" Former President Also Uses 'Kosk'... Challenging US COVID-19 Prevention [Correspondent Report]

US COVID-19 Cumulative Cases Surpass 25 Million

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is attending President Joe Biden's inauguration wearing a "cosk." His wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, contrasts him by covering both her mouth and nose with a mask.
[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The inauguration ceremony of U.S. President Joe Biden held on the 20th was recorded as a monumental moment marking the end of the 'America First' era and the return of the United States, but it also sparked another controversy.

Three former presidents?Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Barack Obama?who attended the event and showed bipartisan unity, became the source of the controversy.

Although mask-wearing was mandatory along with social distancing to respond to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) during the inauguration, these former presidents repeatedly made mistakes related to mask usage.

Former President Clinton drew criticism for wearing a 'cosk' mask that covered only his mouth. From the moment he entered the venue, Clinton wore the mask in a 'cosk' manner. Even to the reporters' eyes, his nose was not covered by the mask. Likewise, Clinton was repeatedly seen covering only his mouth with the mask during the event, as captured by the press cameras.

Clinton's mask immediately became controversial. On Twitter, criticisms poured in such as "It looks like he wore a children's mask," "It seems like he bought it at a dollar store," and "It looks like he put underwear on his face."

Former President Bush drew criticism for wearing the mask under his chin, known as 'tuksuk,' during the event. Former President Obama did not have any prominent issues but was also pointed out for not fully covering his nose with the mask several times.

Former U.S. President George Bush lowers his mask looking uncomfortable during the inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Chief Justice John Roberts, who administered the oath to President Biden, also could not avoid wearing a 'cosk' mask.

'Cosk' is a clear violation of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. The CDC states that masks must cover both the nose and mouth. The former presidents violated this guideline.

The U.S. media also did not hide their discomfort. The New York Times likened the former presidents' 'cosk' issue to the newly coined term 'manspreading,' which refers to men sitting with legs wide apart in public places without regard for others, and called it 'manslipping.'

James Gorman, a science columnist for The New York Times, noted that men are more often seen wearing 'tuksuk' or 'cosk' masks compared to women, stating, "Men have no more need for wider subway seats or freer breathing than women or children." He also emphasized the need for proper mask usage along with the mask mandate that President Biden hopes to enforce.

President-elect Biden has been focusing on controlling COVID-19 from the day of his inauguration by mandating mask use on federal government properties and transportation. However, the mask-wearing behavior of the former presidents at this inauguration serves as an example showing that the challenge left by former President Donald Trump to President Biden is not an easy problem to solve.

President Biden warned that the U.S. will see its 500,000th death next month. On the 23rd, the daily new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. were 172,900, and deaths were 3,427. The cumulative confirmed cases in the U.S. have surpassed 25 million.

COVID-19 vaccine distribution is also sluggish. States such as New York and New Jersey are canceling scheduled vaccinations due to vaccine shortages.