Shealah Craighead/White House
On March 13, President Trump stood shoulder-to-shoulder with 18 people during a White House press conference to discuss the coronavirus.
- President Donald Trump has been sending mixed messages about the severity of the novel coronavirus since the outbreak began.
- While he has urged Americans to maintain "social distancing," the president and his coronavirus task force have been seen shaking hands, touching their faces, and gathering in crowds.
- But as US cases surge over 13,000, the president seems to be taking his own advice.
- At Thursday's press conference, there were far fewer people on stage.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
From the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, the CDC has been issuing guidelines on the importance of avoiding close contact with others and frequently washing hands. On Monday, President Donald Trump advised Americans to maintain "social distancing" by avoiding gatherings of 10 people or more.
But during his COVID-19 press conferences, he and other officials haven't always followed their own advice.
The president and his coronavirus task force team have gathered in large groups, shaken hands, and been spotted touching their faces. Over time, the White House has limited the number of reporters allowed in the briefing room and is taking temperatures of people present, but there are still a large number of people in the room.
When asked whether they would limit the number of people at the press conferences going forward, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham told Business Insider, "We have limited them."
These photos show what White House press conferences have looked like from February to present, as the novel coronavirus has infected more than 13,000 people and killed 176 in the US, and the CDC guidelines have gotten stricter and stricter.