Politico | Coronavirus: Mike Pence flouts hospital policy and goes maskless in Mayo Clinic visit
- US vice-president follows Trump’s lead in refusing to wear face covering on tour, during which he met health workers and a patient
- Pence was briefed on policy before arrival, and masks were made available to him
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Dan Diamond on politico.com on April 28, 2020.
US Vice-President Mike Pence refused to wear a mask on Tuesday as he toured the Mayo Clinic and met hospital staff and a patient, rejecting the famed hospital’s policy that all visitors cover their faces to reduce Covid-19 risks.
Pence last week made plans to visit the Rochester, Minnesota, institution after it announced a coronavirus testing “moon shot” to combat the current outbreak. His decision not to wear a mask – even as he was surrounded by others who followed the policy – was widely derided by public health experts on Tuesday afternoon.
Pence’s decision comes at a time when many public-health experts are urging people to wear masks and local officials view the use of masks as crucial to reopening the economy.
Some officials – like Democratic Governor Tim Walz, who greeted Pence upon his arrival in the state on Tuesday – have worn masks in public appearances. But many Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have rejected those recommendations for themselves.
Pence declined to wear masks in previous public appearances, including visits to the Air Force Academy and a GE Healthcare site last week. After discussing recommendations to wear masks, Trump said at a press briefing on April 3 that “I don't see it for myself”.