In light of recent events, more than 130 Secret Service agents have been instructed to isolate or quarantine following positive COVID-19 tests or close contact with infected colleagues, as reported by The Daily Observer. This situation has emerged partly due to a series of campaign rallies held in the lead-up to the election. Approximately ten percent of the agency’s core security team is currently sidelined, attributed to these events.
The Secret Service, which has around 1,300 officers in its Uniformed Division responsible for protecting the White House and the Vice President, has faced significant disruptions. In just the last two days, the President made campaign appearances in four different states, necessitating the deployment of five separate groups of Secret Service personnel. These rallies, like many before, did not enforce mask-wearing among attendees.
Furthermore, several senior officials, including Chief of Staff Mark Johnson and advisers like Tom Reynolds and Danny Cross, have also reported positive COVID-19 tests. This outbreak coincides with a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases, with the U.S. recording over 153,400 new infections on Thursday alone, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Hospitalizations have reached unprecedented levels, exceeding 67,000.
While some officials, including the President, have suggested that increased testing is the primary factor for the rising case numbers, evidence contradicts this claim. The seven-day average of new tests was over 1.4 million, reflecting only an 8.3 percent increase from the previous week. In contrast, the rise in cases surged over 32 percent week-on-week.
“A shortage of more than 100 officers is concerning,” remarked a former senior Secret Service supervisor. “It poses significant risks for White House security.” This is not the first instance of the Secret Service being impacted by the travel decisions of the President and Vice President during the pandemic. Earlier this summer, numerous agents fell ill or were forced to quarantine following large indoor rallies.
Moreover, a study from Stanford University highlighted that around 30,000 COVID-19 cases and 700 deaths have been linked to rallies organized by the President earlier this year. The CDC has warned that large gatherings without mask mandates or social distancing can significantly increase the risk of virus transmission and may become “superspreader events.”
Fortunately, we can look forward to a President-Elect who has established a Coronavirus Task Force comprised of scientists to help navigate through these challenging times. For the latest information on COVID-19, please refer to reliable sources such as the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and local public health departments.
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Summary:
Over 130 Secret Service agents have been quarantined due to COVID-19, primarily linked to campaign rallies held in recent weeks. This situation has raised concerns regarding White House security, especially as the nation faces a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases. Despite the ongoing challenges, there’s hope with the incoming President-Elect forming a competent task force to tackle the pandemic.