Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Wednesday said that the coronavirus “doesn’t care about your politics,” emphasizing that anyone attending in-person gatherings of any kind should follow public health measures.
“I’ve got Democrats who want me to condemn people who are out at the presidential rallies, I’ve got Republicans who want me to condemn people who are going to vigils,” Adams said on ABC’s Good Morning America. “At the end of the day the virus doesn’t care about your politics, it doesn’t care what you’re going out for. It only cares if you’re following public health measures.”
Adams’s comments came after he was asked to weigh in on President Trump’s recent campaign rallies, which drew large crowds of often maskless individuals. Republicans have similarly criticized those attending Black Lives Matter protests in recent months for gathering in large numbers.
“What I would say to everyone, politics aside: wear a mask if you can’t stay six feet away from other people, watch your distance and make sure you’re washing your hands as frequently as you can,” Adams said.
Adams also urged the public to get their flu vaccine in order to avoid a “double whammy” of flu cases and coronavirus cases.