After a number of Trump administration officials at the White House tested positive for the CCP virus, including the president and first lady, the White House on Tuesday outlined steps being taken to protect residential staff.
The executive residence has hired independent health consultants to conduct additional testing and check on staff and their families. The first lady wrote that staffers can speak to consultants anonymously.
“With the recent positive results of the president and first lady, staff wear full PPE and continue to take all necessary precautions, which include updated procedures to protect against cross-contamination,” the first lady’s office said in a news release.
Melania Trump said that since March, “the residence has adopted hospital-grade disinfection policies, had White House Medical Unit lead coronavirus workshops so staff could have their concerns addressed, significantly reduced staff, and encouraged maximum teleworking.”
In addition, those working in the White House have been required to wear masks since April.
The first lady’s office also said that residential staff have had “sanitization and filtration systems … provided to each residence employee to be used in their homes” in the hopes of preventing infections.
There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and six levels in the White House. There are close to 100 full-time staff and 250 part-time staff to maintain the residence, including five full-time chefs.
The first lady’s office said that the safety of the staff is of the utmost importance to the first family. To protect staff, those who are in direct contact with the first family are tested for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus daily, and support staff are tested every other day.
Melania Trump has been under quarantine since last week after testing positive for the virus, and President Donald Trump returned to the White House Monday, after being admitted Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda Maryland out of what his doctors called “an abundance of caution.”
The president was treated for CCP virus infection and required supplemental oxygen on Friday and Saturday.
After returning to the White House, Trump told Americans not to be afraid of the disease and that there are many new medications and treatments coming.
