The White House Vice President said, Mike PenceHe plans to maintain a robust campaign schedule this week despite several members of his close circle, including the chief of staff, testing positive for coronavirus.

A spokesman for Pence revealed late on Saturday that Mark Short, Pence’s chief of staff, had tested positive for the virus. The spokesperson said Pence and his wife Karen tested negative earlier in the day and the vice president will not change his schedule. New York times He reported that many are members of his inner circle Tests have also been positive in recent days.

Short’s diagnosis comes weeks after Covid-19 Spread across the White HouseAs a result, President Donald Trump, the first lady, and scores of aides, employees, and other allies have been injured.

According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards, the vice president is “in close contact” with his chief of staff but will not quarantine, a spokesman for Devin O’Malley said.

O’Malley said Pence decided to maintain his travel schedule “in consultation with the White House Medical Unit” and “in accordance with CDC guidelines for essential staff.” These guidelines require that primary workers exposed to a person with coronavirus closely monitor symptoms of Covid-19 and wear a mask whenever other people are around.

Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease expert at George Mason University, described Pence’s decision to travel as “gross negligence” regardless of the stated justification that Pence was a key factor.

“It’s just an insult to everyone who has been working in the public health and public health response,” she said. “I also find it really harmful and disrespectful to the people who go to the rally” and the people from the penny crew who will accompany him.

She added: “He needs to stay at home 14 days.” “Campaign events are not necessary.”

A day after his campaign in Florida on Saturday, Pence was seen wearing a mask as he returned to Washington aboard Air Force One shortly after the news of Short’s diagnosis was announced. He is scheduled to hold a march on Sunday afternoon in Kinston, North Carolina.

President Trump was suspended early Sunday after his plane landed at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington. He said, “I just heard about it now.” “I think he is in quarantine. Yeah. I heard about it. He will be fine. But he is in quarantine.”

Pence, who has chaired the White House coronavirus task force since late February, has repeatedly found himself in an uncomfortable position balancing political concerns and the administration’s handling of the pandemic that has killed more than 220,000 Americans. The vice president has advocated the wearing of masks and social distancing, but he often does not wear them himself, and he holds large political events where many people do not wear face coverings.

In virtue of his position as Vice President, Pence is a key factor. The White House did not address how Pence’s political activities reached a basic business level.

Short, a close associate of Pence, did not travel with the vice president on Saturday.

Pence’s handling of his exposure to a confirmed positive contrasts with how he did Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate, Kamala HarrisWhen a close aide and a member of the crew of the chartered plane tested positive for the virus earlier this month. She has spent several days campaigning indicating her desire to act out of extreme caution.