Mike Pence said that he should have worn a face mask during his visit to the Mayo Clinic last week.
The vice president was criticized for being the only one among his party to decline a facemask during a tour of the medical facility in Rochester, Minnesota, on April 28.
Pence, the head of the White House coronavirus task force, declined on the grounds that he was tested for the coronavirus regularly, and was certain he was not infected.
The Mayo Clinic said in a now-deleted tweet that they informed Pence's team in advance that all visitors are required to don masks. Pence's wife Karen said the vice president did not become aware of the policy until after he had left the clinic.
However, Voice of America reporter Steve Herman tweeted last Thursday that Pence's office had told reporters coming to the clinic with them that they would need to bring masks — proof that his staff did know the rule.
(After the tweet, Pence's office threatened to bar Herman from traveling with the vice president on Air Force Two.)
Pence told Fox News on Sunday that it was wrong of him not to wear a mask.
"I didn't think it was necessary but I should have worn a mask at the Mayo Clinic," he said, adding that he wore a mask while visiting a GM plant in his home state of Indiana two days later.
—Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) May 4, 2020
The union that represents Mayo Clinic employees said on April 29, the day after Pence's visit, that his decision not to cover his face was insulting.
"When Vice President Pence ignores the safety policy and refuses to wear a mask, he insults the hard work and sacrifice of all health care workers. Worse, he puts them, their patients, and their families at risk," SEIU Healthcare Minnesota said.
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