Amid increased fears about a potential coronavirus outbreak in the United States, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention graphic from 2017 has resurfaced online along with the claim that the organization is recommending men shave their beards to protect against the virus.
This is not true. The organization has made no such recommendation.
The wrong information developed out of a CNN wire story that was re-packaged by San Francisco-based news station Kron4.com. We saw it shared on plenty of other news websites.
The story was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
Though the original Feb. 26 CNN story differs slightly, it also states that the CDC has suggestions about facial hair in relation with coronavirus protection, and fails to mention that the graphic is old and has no connection to the illness.
The infographic, which covers over 30 different types of facial hair styles, is from 2017 and is unrelated to the current coronavirus outbreak – or any other illness. It instead warns that some beard styles can interfere with face masks.
The graphic was originally posted in a CDC blog post that year during "No Shave November" that pointed out some of the problems certain types of beards could present with tight-fitting respirator masks. It’s one of several respiratory protection posters for the workplace compiled by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a CDC department.