WASHINGTON (NYTIMES) – US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday (Nov 9) made an urgent plea for Americans to wear masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus, declaring that “a mask is not a political statement” as he vowed to make defeating the pandemic his No. 1 priority when he replaces President Donald Trump on Jan 20.

“It doesn’t matter who you voted for, where you stood before Election Day,” Mr Biden said in short remarks in Delaware after meeting with members of a newly formed Covid-19 advisory board.

“It doesn’t matter your party, your point of view. We can save tens of thousands of lives if everyone would just wear a mask for the next few months.”