President-elect Joe Biden is slated to hold a scaled-back inauguration that limits in-person gatherings — one example of the many COVID-19 precautions his administration will maintain once he's in the White House, reports Politico.
Below are several COVID-19 precautions the Biden administration will follow to limit the risk of virus spread in the White House.
Social distancing. Most members of Mr. Biden's team are still working remotely and conducting meetings over video. This trend will continue once he takes office, with only a small number of staff members joining him in-person at the White House, according to Politico. The president-elect also plans to have small, infrequent public events to limit in-person gatherings.
Cleaning the White House. A team of cleaners deployed by the General Services Administration will sanitize every high-touch surface in the White House's East and West wings after President Donald Trump departs, an agency spokesperson confirmed to Politico.
Masking. At present, Mr. Biden's team members follow strict masking protocols, wearing them both indoors and outdoors. Nicole Lurie, MD, former assistant health secretary for preparedness and response and current adviser to Mr. Biden, predicts this stringent approach will increase cultural pressure to wear masks among staffers and lawmakers in Washington, D.C. "I think the social penalties for non-mask-wearing will be great," she told Politico. "It'll be hard to be in a meeting and not wear a mask or social distance."
Testing. Mr. Biden and his staff regularly undergo COVID-19 testing, and White House reporters are required to get a rapid virus test before any public event.
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