The main mistake Western nations are making in the COVID-19 fight is not telling everybody — including healthy people — to wear a face mask, a leading Chinese scientist says.

Dr George Gao (PhD), director-general of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, says taking temperature readings at the entrances of shops and public transport stations to ensure people with a fever stayed out was an important part of China’s response, as was isolating patients in converted sports stadiums.