White House staffers are now being required to wear masks at work to help to the spread of the coronavirus according to a new memo that was released on Monday.
The memo reads, “The [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] continues to encourage the use of facial coverings when social distancing is not an option. As an additional layer of protection, we are requiring everyone who enters the West Wing to wear a mask or facial covering.”
It continued, “Staff who sit in the West Wing are not required to wear a facial covering while at their desk if they are appropriately socially distanced from their colleagues.”
Read the memo below:
NEW: Here is the directive that went out to staff about the new mask policy in the West Wing this afternoon –> Reporting w/ @Santucci pic.twitter.com/FIaCptdwgh
— Katherine Faulders (@KFaulders) May 11, 2020
Additionally, it encouraged staffers to avoid visits to the West Wing, “Unless you absolutely need to conduct in-person business in the West Wing.”
“We continue to encourage all [executive office of the president] staff to use a facial covering whenever social distancing is not possible,” it added.
The new memo comes as two White House staffers tested positive for the coronavirus. One is Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, and the other is a personal valet for President Donald Trump.
Despite the two staffers testing positive for the virus, both Trump and Pence have indicated that they will not self-quarantine, as IJR reported.
The White House noted that both the president and the vice president are regularly tested for the virus and said they would be tested every day.
Despite CDC guidance to wear masks, both Pence and Trump have been seen in public and at events at the White House without wearing face coverings.
Trump has previously said that he would likely not wear a mask.