Given just how wildly contagious this novel strain of coronavirus has been, it perhaps comes as no surprise the we are now dealing with cases from within the White House itself.
It is this swift spreading of the illness that has made social distancing such an important part of the preventative effort. We still have no vaccine and no foolproof treatment, and so we can only hope to starve COVID-19 to death.
Now, after being exposed to the virus by a staffer, Vice President Mike Pence has been in self-isolation.
An administration official said Pence was voluntarily keeping his distance from other people in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He has repeatedly tested negative for COVID-19 since his exposure but was following the advice of medical officials.
His action came after three of the nation’s top scientists took their own protective steps following possible exposure to a White House staffer infected by the coronavirus.
“Vice President Pence will continue to follow the advice of the White House Medical Unit and is not in quarantine,” spokesman Devin O’Malley said Sunday. “Additionally, Vice President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow.”
Pence has been at home since returning to Washington from a day trip to Iowa on Friday and did not appear at President Donald Trump’s meeting with military leaders Saturday at the White House. Pence was informed of the aide’s positive test shortly before departing for that trip.
The news comes nearly in unison with the disclosure of another infection in the White House, as Ivanka Trump’s personal assistant has also tested positive.
