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- Outdoor press conferences and masked Secret Service agents: Inside the White House handling the coronavirus crisis.
Outdoor press conferences and masked Secret Service agents: Inside the White House handling the coronavirus crisis.
- On multiple occasions, the White House has been criticized for failing to maintain social distancing guidelines and refusing to acknowledge the CDC's recommendation for wearing face masks.
- But last week, after one of President Trump's West Wing valets and Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus, the White House began strengthening its policies.
- The two new cases prompted President Trump to enforce the use of face masks within the West Wing, and led to three members of the coronavirus task force, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, to self-quarantine.
- These photos show what it looks like within the White House as they scramble to handle the pandemic.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Over one dozen people in the White House have tested positive for the coronavirus within the last week — and many of them are thought to have come into contact with President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
The slew of new cases has prompted the White House to crack down on their coronavirus policies. From the beginning, Trump and his administration have been criticized for failing to maintain social distancing guidelines and not wearing face masks in public.
But now, President Trump has ordered the use of face masks within the West Wing. Secret Service agents have been reportedly told to cover their faces when they come in contact with the president, even though Trump himself refuses to wear one.
Additionally, Trump and Pence are reportedly maintaining their distance from one another in order to lower the risk of exposure.
These photos reveal a look inside the White House handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read the original article on Business InsiderTrump said both he and Pence tested negative for the virus on May 11, and are being tested frequently.
Source: Business Insider
There have been reports that President Trump has become "spooked" by the number of people infected near him. But on Monday, the president assured the public that he felt "no vulnerability whatsoever," and continued to stress his opinion on reopening the economy.
Sources: Business Insider, NPR
And Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services Brett Giroir was seen peeling off his face mask before addressing the public on Monday.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was also seen wearing a face mask.
Young staffers were all photographed wearing face masks while they listened to the president give his coronavirus briefing on Monday.
Additionally, the Secret Service is reportedly being told to wear face masks any time they come into contact with the President.
Source: Business Insider
Despite Trump and Pence choosing not to cover their faces in public, visitors of the White House including members of the US Army were seen wearing masks on Monday.
He received major backlash at the end of April when he chose not to wear a face mask on a visit to the Mayo clinic.
Source: Business Insider
And Vice President Mike Pence has seldom been seen wearing a mask in public. On numerous occasions, he's been photographed as the only person in a room without a face mask.
Source: Business Insider
According to a report from the Associated Press, Trump has said that wearing a face mask would "send the wrong message" and hurt his chances of reelection.
Source: Business Insider
But despite new measures and his possible exposure to the virus, President Trump still refuses to wear a mask.
Source: Business Insider
On Monday, Vice President Pence did not attend the coronavirus briefing with Trump. According to NPR, Trump addressed this by saying "We can talk on the phone," suggesting the two were trying to maintain their distance.
Sources: Business Insider, NPR
There have also been reports that President Trump and Mike Pence will be separated from one another for the time being. The two have not been seen together since Thursday.
Sources: Business Insider, NPR
Additionally, the White House is reportedly considering initiating a six-foot distancing rule between individuals in meetings, which hasn't been enacted yet.
Source: Business Insider
For instance, more than a dozen individuals will receive daily tests before they are allowed to go to work in the West Wing.
Source: Business Insider
And according to an ABC News report, the White House is considering a variety of new measures to protect the president and vice president from contracting COVID-19.
Source: Business Insider
However, three members of the White House coronavirus task force – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield – have begun self-quarantining.
Source: NPR
Under CDC guidance Trump and Pence should both be self-quarantining for two weeks – but neither has said they would do so.
Source: Business Insider
The list includes 11 Secret Service agents, and Ivanka Trump's assistant, though she had been working remotely for weeks.
Source: Business Insider
But they aren't the only ones. Last week, over a dozen people who may have been exposed to President Trump and Mike Pence tested positive for the virus.
Source: Business Insider
Trump finally made this decision after two White House staffers – Vice President Pence's press secretary Katie Miller, and one of Trump's West Wing valets – tested positive for the virus.
Source: Business Insider
The rule was initiated over a month after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requested that all Americans wear masks in public.
Source: Business Insider
The use of face masks has also become much more widespread. On May 11, President Trump ordered all West Wing staffers to wear face masks inside of the White House.
Source: Business Insider
Journalists have begun growing wary of the risks involved during press gatherings, and some news conferences have dwindled in size.
Source: Washington Post
Reporters are now spread further apart during the press briefings and nearly every reporter has chosen to wear a face mask.
Source: Washington Post
But in recent weeks, the White House has limited the amount of task force members on stage and worked to move press briefings outside.
At the beginning of the pandemic, the White House was criticized for having too many people on stage during press briefings and not spacing out chairs to maintain social distancing. This photo was taken on February 26.
Source: Business Insider
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