Vice President Mike Pence tours Mayo Clinic without covid-19 mask

Vice President Mike Pence Visits the Mayo Clinic Rochester Facilities, April 28, 2020. Pence is surrounded by 9 other people with masks including a patient. Press Pool Video

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On Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence toured the Mayo Clinic without wearing a mask, despite that renowned medical facility telling him that masks are required for visitors and everyone else there to slow the spread of the covid-19. Pence at one point during his vist to the Mayo Clinic was surrounded by 10 people including a patient who unlike him were all wearing masks. Pence, who leads President Donald Trump’s covid-19 task force later suggested to reporters that he did not need to wear a mask because he is tested regularly for the virus and does not have it. The Mayo Clinic which is located in Rochester, Minn is requiring all patients visitors and staff to wear a face covering or mask to slow the spread of covid-19.

The clinic said in a Twitter post that it had informed Pence of its policy mandating mask before he toured the facility. About a half hour after that tweet was posted it was deleted by the Mayo Clinic. People wearing masks greeted Pence at an airport in a video shows. The vice president was not wearing a mask when he got off his plane and headed to the Mayo Clinic where he was greeted with applause and cheers by facility workers most of whom were wearing masks. While at the facility, Pence participated in a discussion with top doctors there, along with Minnesota Gov. Governor Tim Walz and Rep. Jim Hagedorn, a Republican whose district in Minnesota includes the city of Rochester. Pence, who was accompanied on his visit by federal Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn appeared to be the only official who participated in that discussion who did not wear a mask.

On the same day that Pence visited the Mayo Clinic, the tally of Americans who have been diagnosed with with covid-19 infection topped 1 million. At least 57,266 Americans have died from covid-19. On the same day that Pence visited the Mayo Clinic the tally of Americans who have been diagnosed with with covid-19 infection topped 1 million. At least 57,266 Americans have died from covid-19. Pence was asked about why he did not wear mask in the first question at his press conference at the facility.

Pence said, As vice president of the United States, he tested for the covid-19 on a regular basis and everyone who is around him is tested for the covid-19. When the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines about wearing a mask it was their recognition that people that may have the covid-19 could prevent the possibility of conveying the virus to someone else by wearing a mask. Since he don’t have the covid-19 he thought it would be a good opportunity for me to be here to be able to speak to these researchers these incredible health care personnel and look them in the eye and say thank you.

Pence later was asked by another reporter how frequently he is tested, and whether he thought that wearing a mask might send a positive signal to the American public. He did not directly answer the question about the signal wearing a mask could send. But the vice president reiterated that he was tested on a regular basis.

He said, he agree with the CDC guidance that wearing a mask doesn’t necessarily protect you from the covid-19 but wearing a mask might prevent from inadvertently conveying the covid-19 to a loved one, family member or friend. So we think they’re very useful in that respect and we respect that altogether.

Mayo Clinic said, Mayo shared the masking policy with the VP’s office and clinic repond to the question of why the Mayo Clinic deleted its tweet about Pence.