Pence tests negative after aide infected

Vice President Mike Pence will continue with his aggressive campaign schedule after his chief of staff, Marc Short, tested positive for the coronavirus Saturday, a spokesman said.

Pence and his wife, Karen Pence, both tested negative for the virus Saturday and remain in good health, spokesman Devin O’Malley said.

Short is Pence’s closest aide, and the vice president is considered a “close contact” under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. O’Malley said in a statement that “in consultation with the White House Medical Unit, the Vice President will maintain his schedule in accordance with the CDC guidelines for essential personnel.”

Those guidelines mandate that essential workers exposed to someone with the coronavirus closely monitor for symptoms of COVID19 and wear a mask whenever around other people.

After a day of campaigning Saturday, Pence was seen wearing a mask as he returned to Washington aboard Air Force Two once the news of Short’s diagnosis was made public.

The coronavirus has swept the White House since September, infecting President Trump, his wife and youngest son, and several top aides, including his campaign manager, his press secretary, and the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee. The outbreak has served as a punctuation mark on Trump’s handling of the pandemic, which polls show has been widely panned by voters.