Pence urges White House staffers to ‘avoid physical contact’ and use social distancing

Vice President Mike Pence told White House staffers on Saturday to use “social distancing” and to “avoid physical contact” to protect themselves and their colleagues from the coronavirus.

In a staff-wide email, Mr. Pence cited “additional cases throughout the National Capital Region” in urging they take proper precautions.

“As an employee aboard the White House Complex, we have an additional duty to protect the health of our Executive Branch and those working with us,” the vice president said.

He noted that healthcare experts on the task force he’s leading advise the following steps to reduce transmission and illness:

• “Clean hands often – wash with soap & water for 20 seconds, or apply alcohol-based (60%+) hand sanitizer between interactions.”
• “Social distancing – limit large in-person gatherings and take advantage of technology.”
• “Avoid physical contact.”
• “Clean & disinfect – wipe down your personal work stations, phones, and other commonly touched items.”
• “Stay home if you’re sick! – sore throat, fever (temp >99.5F), chills, cough, body aches, runny/stuffy nose.”

President Trump said Saturday that he has been tested for the coronavirus and is awaiting the results. The president, who also shook hands with several guests at a press conference on Friday, acknowledged it’s a hard habit to break.

“It’s sort of a natural reflex, and we’re all getting out of it,” Mr. Trump said. “All of us have that problem. We’re all getting out of that, shaking hands. It’s not a great thing to be doing right now. People are thinking about it more and more, we have to think about it, it’s important.”

The White House also has begun taking the temperatures of everyone who could come in close proximity to the president and the vice president.

Mr. Pence’s email noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “recommends home-quarantine only for those who have had close (within 6 feet) prolonged (>10 minutes) contact with a symptomatic (cough, fever, etc.) COVID-19 patient, or their respiratory droplets.”

“This excludes casual, limited interactions such as handshakes, photographs, etc.,” he wrote. “If you interacted with an individual when they are without symptoms (asymptomatic), but whom subsequently receives a positive test, the risk of you becoming infected from that interaction is considered LOW. You do not require testing, nor home isolation.  Active social distancing would be appropriate.”