Pence Tours Mayo Clinic Without a Face Mask

Vice President Mike Pence praised innovations to combat the coronavirus pandemic at the Mayo Clinic Tuesday, while failing to comply with the hospital's mandatory masking policy.

During the tour of the campus in Rochester Minnesota, Pence appeared to be the only person not wearing a face mask.

While everyone else dawned the personal protective equipment, Pence ironically reminded American's to follow the advice of medical professionals at all levels of government.

"The best way that hasten the day that we can reopen Minnesota, and reopen America is to continue to heed the guidance that you've received from state and local authorities as we continue to practice social distancing, and will continue to scale the kind of testing and resources that we need to meet this moment," Pence said.

The visit highlighted the Mayo clinic's efforts to create and expand new coronavirus testing, which could quickly boost the state's capacity to conduct 20,000 tests a day.

"I was told on Air Force 2 this morning that we have conducted 5.6 million coronavirus tests. But when I hear about the innovation that has been developed here and the opportunity to scale some of the new tests that you have developed here at the Mayo Clinic and I know that we've only just begun."

The Minnesota clinic is also playing a lead role on giving plasma transfusions to COVID-19 on ventilators which could help patients recover faster.

So far more than 3,000 Americans who have recovered from COVID-19 have now donated blood at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota.

The plan is to expand the effort nationally, and partnerships have been formed with the American Red Cross and other local blood banks.

"This is one more way you can be there for your neighbors," Pence said. "If you've recovered from the coronavirus, you can donate blood at one of more than 2000 sites around the country. Contact your Red Cross, call your doctor, and be a part of the healing of America that is taking place here at Mayo and all across this country."

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

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