Union health care workers at Mayo Clinic are criticizing Vice President Mike Pence for not wearing a mask when he visited the Rochester facility Tuesday. S-E-I-U Healthcare Minnesota President Jamie Gulley says the vice president ignoring the safety policy “insults the hard work and sacrifice of all health care workers” and even worse, “puts them, their patients, and their families at risk.” Pence told reporters the precautions weren’t needed because he and everyone around him are regularly tested for coronavirus. The vice president said since he doesn’t have COVID-19, he wanted to look researchers and “incredible health care personnel” in the eye and say, thank you.
But Minnesota Democratic Party Chairman Ken Martin says Pence *not* wearing a mask “encourages others to engage in the same selfish and irresponsible behavior.”