White House Outbreak Strikes Again as Multiple Aides to Mike Pence Test Positive

Our nation has experience some highly unprecedented occurrences here in 2020, but, as the rest of the world will tell you, this might just be par for the course at this point.

Of all the topsy-turvy storylines we’re endured, however, there is perhaps one that was the most frightening:  The moment that President Donald Trump was airlifted to Walter Reed Medical Center after testing positive for COVDI-19 and, as we found out later, suffering a worrisome drop in his blood-oxygen levels while working in the West Wing.

Trump remained in the hospital for several days, making just one impromptu appearance outside of the doors of Walter Reed that came in the form of a motorcade parade in which the President waved to supporters to express his gratitude for their continued concerns.

Soon it was discovered that several members of the White House staff had also tested positive, along with First Lady Melania Trump.

That was several weeks ago now, and many had believed that the worst was behind us as it pertains to the threat of coronavirus at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Those people were wrong.

Vice President Mike Pence will not quarantine himself despite several of his aides testing positive for coronavirus, his office said.

Pence’s chief of staff Marc Short is isolating after testing positive on Saturday, Devin O’Malley, a spokesman for the vice president, said in a statement. A senior political advisor to the vice president, Marty Obst, and two other aides also tested positive, according to NBC News.

O’Malley said in a statement issued late on Saturday that Pence and second lady Karen Pence both tested negative and “remain in good health.”

Pence is expected to hold a rally in Kinston, North Carolina later on Sunday. The battleground state is neck-and-neck with state polls on average showing Democratic nominee Joe Biden ahead by just over one percentage point.

“While Vice President Pence is considered a close contact with Mr. Short, in consultation with the White House Medical Unit, the Vice President will maintain his schedule in accordance with the CDC guidelines for essential personnel,” O’Malley said in the statement.

As of this writing, both the Vice President and his wife have tested negative for the virus in the wake of this second White House outbreak.