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White House chief of staff says Trump wants to work from the Oval Office despite COVID-19 infection

White House chief of staff says Trump wants to work from the Oval Office despite COVID-19 infection
Posted at 7:30 AM, Oct 07, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-07 09:33:31-04

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters Wednesday that President Donald Trump wants to continue working from the Oval Office despite being infected with COVID-19.

According to CNN and CBS, Meadows told reporters that the White House would be taking extra precautions to allow Trump to do so. According to CBS reporter Ben Tracy, any White House staff coming in contact with the president will wear gowns, gloves, masks and eye protection.

It's unclear if Trump would also wear personal protective equipment (PPE) while working in the Oval Office.

Following Meadows' statement to reporters, Larry Kudlow, the Director of the United States National Economic Council, said during an appearance on CNBC that Trump visited the West Wing with those added precautions on Tuesday.

Medical experts say that while PPE greatly reduces the spread of COVID-19, it cannot prevent the spread of the virus entirely. The CDC recommends that anyone who comes within six feet of a person who may have COVID-19 should quarantine for 14 days, excluding those who have had the virus within the last three months.

During a press conference on Monday, White House physician Dr. Sean Conley did not specify if Trump would be asked to quarantine in the White House residence while he was infected with COVID-19.

This story is breaking and will be updated.