A Costly Trip
Last Wednesday, a delegation from Iowa led by Gov. Kim Reynolds and public health director Dr. Caitlin Pedati traveled to Washington, D.C., for a meeting in the Oval Office with the president, the vice president, and the secretary of agriculture. Dr. Pedati then sat in on a meeting of the coronavirus task force.
Two days later, this past Friday, the vice president traveled to Iowa to meet with faith leaders and participate in a discussion on food supply. On Air Force 2 were both of Iowa’s U.S. Senators, Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst. The ag secretary was there, as well.
Following the Wednesday trip, it was learned that a member of the president’s staff, a valet, had tested positive for COVID-19. Friday morning, just as the vice president’s plane was to leave Washington, it was learned that his press secretary, who had tested negative the day before, now had tested positive, leading to various aides getting off the plane for testing…but the rest of the traveling party made its way to Des Moines, although more than an hour behind schedule.
Now the head of the FDA and CDC, along with Dr. Fauci, are self-isolating. So is Dr. Pedati, and Gov. Reynolds is considering it. No word on those who came into contact with the vice president during his trip here.
Various companies, including this one, put policies in effect when the pandemic started, requiring employees to self-isolate if they traveled beyond the immediate area, or came into contact with folks from out of town or folks who had tested positive. Many thought it was silly and over-reaching. Now you know why, because that’s how community spread happens.
Meeting by phone, Zoom or Skype is not the same thing as meeting in person. But these days, it’s good enough. And given the human cost of these trips…it should have been in those situations, as well.
