A pair of coffee shops regularly used by White House staff members closed this week after a person tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, a spokesman for the Government Services Administration told The Hill.
The spokesman did not say whether it was an employee, although reports emerged Wednesday that a cafeteria worker had contracted the virus. The cafeterias that were closed are in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and the New Executive Office Building, neither of which is located next to the West Wing.
The White House followed up on contacts and determined that the risk of transmission was low, the spokesperson said.
“The vendor implemented all appropriate protocols, including masks, gloves, plastic protection at checkout and no dinner service,” added the spokesperson.
The White House did not return a request for comment from The Hill.
White House staff have reportedly been advised to monitor themselves for possible symptoms and to stay home if they feel ill.
The closings come as many parts of the US experience increase in coronavirus cases, prompting several states to pause reopening plans and institute state-level mask mandates. As of Thursday morning, the US had reported more than 3.9 million cases of COVID-19 and approximately 143,000 deaths caused by it, according to a Johns Hopkins University database.
Trump, who had downplayed the severity of the outbreak earlier this year, said during a press conference Tuesday that the health crisis “is likely to” get worse before it improves. “
He also implored Americans to wear face masks in public to slow the spread of the virus, marking a noticeable change in tone.
“We are asking everyone to wear a mask when you cannot socially distance yourself,” Trump said. “Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact. They will have an effect and we need everything we can get. “
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