Over the past two months, dozens of Secret Service agents have been "sickened or sidelined" after being in "direct contact" with people who were infected with coronavirus, The Washington Post reported.
As the Secret Service agents continue to fulfill their responsibilities of protecting the president and vice president, President Donald Trump continues to host large gatherings that come at the cost of these agents' health.
Last month, crowds without maskless attendees congregated during Trump's visit to Tampa, The Tampa Bay Times reported. His visit came as Florida reported record numbers of coronavirus cases and fatalities as the second most-impacted state in the country in late July. The Washington Post reported that even before Air Force One arrived, five Secret Service agents on-site had already been replaced after one agent tested positive for the coronavirus.
In early July, Trump hosted a campaign rally that reportedly removed 19,000 labels encouraging social distancing. Despite the low turnout at the rally, where Trump supporters congregated with very few wearing masks, a top Tulsa health official said the event likely contributed to a spike in coronavirus cases in Oklahoma. Following the rally, dozens of Secret Service staff had to self-quarantine.
Meanwhile, this past week at the Republican National Convention, the Trump campaign spoke to a maskless crowd. At the RNC in Charlotte, where the official party business took place, 4 people tested positive for coronavirus.
A White House spokesman told The Washington Post in a statement that the president "takes the health and safety of everyone traveling in support of himself and all White House operations very seriously, as well as those dedicated to covering him and this Administration."
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