VP Mike Pence visiting Mayo Clinic - Not Wearing a Mask

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Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

How can he expect the country to practice social distancing and wear masks in public if he isn't practicing what he preaches?

PLEASE: No political comments. This is NOT about politics but rather about adhering to policies.

No facemask for Vice President Mike Pence as he tours Mayo's COVID-19 testing labs in Rochester

Pence-2020-04-28_15-03-01.jpg
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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

There seems to be a very large sect of society that feels they are above what is happening. Many of them have fallen ill. Some of them have died.

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Specializes in Psych.

I agree! Fauci and Birx don't mask. They don't stand six feet away from Trump or themselves at the podium. Bunch of hypocrites!

"Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defends hairstylist visit amid coronavirus outbreak" (NBC News):

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/chicago-mayor-defends-hairstylist-visit-amid-coronavirus-outbreak-n1181546

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

The President said that he probably wouldn't wear a mask, that may have influenced the VP's choice.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
Just now, A Hit With The Ladies said:

I agree! Fauci and Birx don't mask. They don't stand six feet away from Trump or themselves at the podium. Bunch of hypocrites!

None of them are masked, at the podium, around the podium. Trump, Pence, Fauci, Birx, flavor-of-the-week. Leading by example has never been this administration's strong suit.

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Specializes in Psych.

Which is exactly why I don't care much for their sanctimonious attitudes. The Surgeon General was saying a month ago we didn't need to wear masks. Apparently they just lied to the general public to prevent a PPE shortage for healthcare workers. We all know how well that worked out!

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.
21 hours ago, A Hit With The Ladies said:

Which is exactly why I don't care much for their sanctimonious attitudes. The Surgeon General was saying a month ago we didn't need to wear masks. Apparently they just lied to the general public to prevent a PPE shortage for healthcare workers. We all know how well that worked out!

We were told that wearing a cloth or surgical face mask would not protect the wearer from infection with COVID-19 BEFORE it was discovered that asymptomatic people, who don't even know it, can spread the virus to others by coughing, sneezing, singing, and even talking. (One probable example: https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-03-29/coronavirus-choir-outbreak )

When I go to the store or pharmacy I wear a cloth mask and am glad those businesses make employees and customers wear one too. That way if I am infected unknown to myself it is extremely unlikely I will transmit it to a fellow shopper. AND it is just as unlikely that it will be transmitted to me by a neighbor wearing a mask.

Walking a dog or doing run/walk exercise I follow our Counties Public Health advice and do not wear a mask unless someone comes near. Sometimes that happens at a corner waiting for a "WALK" signal.

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image.png.1febb8c90fe3c2916f1940ec5a090a00.png

Rational use of face masks in the COVID-19 pandemic March 20, 2020.

... The US Surgeon General advised against buying masks for use by healthy people. One important reason to discourage widespread use of face masks is to preserve limited supplies for professional use in health-care settings. Universal face mask use in the community has also been discouraged with the argument that face masks provide no effective protection against coronavirus infection... ... As evidence suggests COVID-19 could be transmitted before symptom onset, community transmission might be reduced if everyone including people who have been infected but are asymptomatic and contagious, wear face masks...
https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2213-2600(20)30134-X

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Recommendation Regarding the Use of Cloth Face Coverings, Especially in Areas of Significant Community-Based Transmission

... We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms. This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms. In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

https://www.CDC.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

The Mayo Clinic should have cancelled the tour and photo ops if he refused to wear one. They should have followed their own policy and protected their patients--the people they are accountable to. And Pence should have shown some modicum of intelligence and respect and worn a mask because the experts (his hosts) were telling him it was policy.

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Could It be that there is a vaccine and they had it.

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Specializes in ER.

Masks are symbolic in my opinion. I will use them ( once I'm off this self quarantine) in order to make other people feel at ease, and do the socially acceptable thing in this crisis.

He's probably making a political statement. I think the administration is more in the line of, let nature take its course, and keep the economy rolling.

That is another perspective. This isn't the bubonic plague. It's more serious and the flu, but way way way less serious than Ebola.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Per news reports, VP Pences explanation at press conference post visit:

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As Vice President of the United States I'm tested for the coronavirus on a regular basis, and everyone who is around me is tested for the coronavirus. He added, "And since I don't have the coronavirus, I thought it'd 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."

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/28/coronavirus-mike-pence-tours-mayo-clinic-without-mask.html

PSSS VP Pence: Masks do not cover the eyes. ?

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Thought it was funny. Apparently not.

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