US vice-president Mike Pence does the contrary! Visits clinic without wearing mask

US Vice President Mike Pence had visited Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and despite leading the White House coronavirus taskforce, he was the only person without a mask throughout the visit.

According to a deleted tweet, the clinic had notified Mike Pence in advance about the medical centre's policy of visitors wearing masks. In fact, not only the clinic but the US government's coronavirus-prevention guidelines suggest that people should wear protective masks in public areas where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

According to the Centre for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University, a total of 10,02,498 cases and 57,266 deaths related to the disease have been recorded in the country.

Pence was accompanied by the commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration Dr Stephen Hahn. Dr Hahn was seen wearing a mask during the visit.

When asked by a reporter, the vice-president said that he and everyone around him are regularly tested for coronavirus. He said: "When the CDC issued guidelines about wearing a mask, it was their recognition that people that may have the coronavirus could prevent the possibility of conveying the virus to someone else by wearing a mask."

"And since I don't have the coronavirus, I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to be here, to be able to speak to these researchers, these incredible healthcare personnel, and look them in the eye and say thank you."

This is not the first instance when Pence did not wear masks in public spaces, earlier this month he greeted Colorado Governor Jared Polis without wearing a mask on the way to Air Force Graduation ceremony. Jared Polis was seen greeting Pence wearing a mask.

Pence, who has never worn a mask since the pandemic began, his aide was the first member of White House to have tested positive for coronavirus.

His President, Donald Trump to has said that he has no plans of wearing a mask.