Mike Pence pictured with Dr Michael Joiner and patient Dennis Nelson who survived coronavirus (Picture: AP)

US Vice President and coronavirus tsar Mike Pence raised eyebrows after marching around a coronavirus ward while ignoring its compulsory face masks rule.

The second most powerful man in the US flouted the rule – which comes from advice issued by his own administration – while visiting the famous Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Tuesday.

He chatted with staff and even Covid-19 patients, all of whom were masked-up, during his trip. Pence was seen surrounded up to 10 aides, Mayo Clinic staff members and patients, all of whom were wearing masks.

The Mayo Clinic itself chastised Vice President Pence on its official Twitter account, writing that it ‘had informed @VP of the masking policy prior to his arrival today.’ That tweet was deleted 30 minutes after it was posted.


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During his visit to the coronavirus ward he refused to wear a face mask against his own administration’s advice (Picture: AP)

Pence appears to be following in the footsteps of Donald Trump, who first announced the new Centers for Disease Control guidance urging Americans to wear a mask or face covering while in public in a bit to curb the spread of Covid-19.



Mr Pence explained his decision by stressing he had been frequently tested for the virus.

He said: ‘As vice president of the United States I’m tested for the coronavirus on a regular basis, and everyone who is around me is tested for the coronavirus.

Mr Pence added that he is following CDC guidelines, which indicate that the mask is good for preventing the spread of the virus by those who have it.

He added: ‘And since I don’t have the coronavirus, I thought it’d 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”.’

He did at least use his elbow to greet Minnesota Governor Tim Walz rather than shaking his hand (Picture: AP)

All the other patients, doctors and visitors complied with the rule to wear face masks (Picture: AP)

Mr Pence is not the only White House official who has shown a reluctance for face masks.

When President Donald Trump announced new federal guidelines recommending Americans wear face coverings when in public, he immediately said he had no intention of following that advice himself, saying: ‘I’m choosing not to do it.’

Mr Pence also went without a mask a week earlier when he visited a GE Healthcare facility that makes ventilators.

Some at the event in Madison, Wisconsin, wore masks and others did not.

The White House said then that Mr Pence had tested negative for the coronavirus and suggested that under the guidelines developed by the coronavirus task force there was no need for him to wear a mask.