Mike Pence wears a mask after criticism for not covering up
Vice President Mike Pence wore a face mask Thursday while touring a ventilator manufacturing facility after taking heat for not doing so at the Mayo Clinic earlier this week.
Pence, touring a General Motors/Ventec plant in Indiana, was joined in wearing a mask by White House adviser Peter Navarro and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
On Tuesday, Pence opted not to wear a mask on a visit to the Minnesota health center, creating significant controversy.
Pence originally explained that he didn’t wear a mask because “I’m tested for the coronavirus on a regular basis.” But on Thursday morning, his wife Karen Pence told “Fox and Friends” that he wasn’t aware that the Mayo Clinic had a policy mandating face coverings.
In February, US health officials said masks were ineffective for the public to protect against the virus. The guidance swiveled this month, with federal officials advising face coverings as an optional measure to prevent spread of the virus.
Some US officials maintain mask wearing is intended primarily to prevent an infected person from transmitting the virus to others, while also saying masks should be prioritized to healthcare workers because masks protect them from catching the virus.
Mask-wearing in Washington has taken on political dynamics. Last week, nearly all House Democrats wore masks for a vote on a fourth large coronavirus relief bill, but many Republicans, including the party’s leadership team, opted not to do so.
Trump has said he personally is disinclined to wear a mask and White House officials and reporters rarely wear them while interacting in the West Wing.
