Dr. Anthoy Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert suggested last week that people wear goggles or face shields to prevent the COVID-19 spread. Is Monroe County ready to follow that lead, and take the next step to help curb the pandemic?

Spectrum News anchor Jim Aroune sat down with Monroe County Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Mendoza to discuss Dr. Fauci’s suggestion and the importance of wearing a mask.

Dr. Mendoza said it may be a good idea, but people should focus efforts on wearing a mask.

“You got to do step two before you do step three. And step two, let’s say, is masking,” Dr. Mendoza said. “We ought to have a higher proportion of people masking before we start entertaining steps three and four, because at this point given what we know, goggles and face shields…they certainly are not substitutes for masks.

Last week, Dr. Fauci told ABC News “theoretically, you should protect all the mucosal surfaces. So if you have goggles or an eye shield, you should use it.”

Mendoza said googles and face shields may help, but the current scientific research surrounding the coronavirus says wearing a mask is one of the most important steps to alleviating potential spread of the virus.

According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, about two-thirds of U.S. adults say they regularly, wear a mask.

That equates to roughly 65 percent of people who wear a mask most, if not all of the time. However, that still leaves some 15 percent who wear a mask some of the time, 9 percent hardly ever, 7 percent who never wear a mask, and the remaining 4 percent who have no gone where masks are required, according to the study.

Additionally, Americans in counties with higher death rates are about twice as likely to wear a mask compared to those who live in low-impact counties, according to the report.

“So I would want to focus on that before we start entertaining subsequent steps,” Dr. Mendoza said.