Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich encouraged members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force to implement social distancing measures during the team’s press conferences.
Gingrich, who has been trapped in Italy with his wife during the ongoing crisis, addressed his experiences there and provided important takeaways from the pandemic during Thursday’s edition of The View. In particular, he urged everyone, singling out lawmakers and the White House, to practice the methods intended to mitigate the spread of the virus.
“I think when they do those briefings, they should probably practice exactly the same physical spacing they want the rest of us to do,” he said.
Top health officials have urged people to “social distance” by avoiding large crowds and areas such as restaurants, bars, and rallies where large numbers of people congregate and by remaining at least 6 feet away from others. While many cities have shut down most public life to make residents comply with the recommendations, the White House Coronavirus Task Force members often stand close together behind a singular podium during daily briefings.
Gingrich later pivoted to discussing how members of Congress have been on Capitol Hill recently despite the likelihood of spreading the virus among themselves.
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“In the Senate, people like Senator John Thune had flown home because he did come down not necessarily with the virus, but he didn’t know. So he didn’t want to take the risk,” he added. “I think there were four senators who didn’t vote because they had self-isolated. And that’s what they should do. If you have any doubts, you have to remember, even if you’re going to be all right, you could carry the disease to somebody who might die because they have another condition or they’re older or whatever.”
More than 494,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus, which has led to more than 22,000 deaths as of Thursday, midday, according to Johns Hopkins University. Additionally, more than 119,000 people have recovered after contracting the virus.
