Biden Administration Installs ‘Plexiglass Germ Shields’ at White House Desks

The Biden administration has installed “plexiglass germ shields” at desks throughout the White House’s West Wing, according to Bloomberg News’s Jennifer Jacobs, who shared photos of the new office accessories via social media on Wednesday.

Jacobs wrote, “At the Biden admin’s request, desks throughout the West Wing have been outfitted with plexiglass germ shields. The plastic barriers stand about 3 feet tall; most desks have them now. Big change for West Wing, where some Trump aides chose not to wear masks at their workspaces.”

The vice-presidential debate between outgoing Vice President Mike Pence and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris had plexiglass dividers, ostensibly as a protective measure against coronavirus transmission.

President-elect Joe Biden described mask mandates as a manifestation of the Golden Rule in October, linking such decrees to the Christian ethos of “loving God and loving others.” He wrote:

We must all wear masks. It’s not a political statement — it’s a manifestation of God’s commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves, so we can save lives.

In November, Biden described lockdown edicts and mask mandates as “patriotic.”

Ron Klain, Biden’s incoming chief of staff, signaled the Biden administration intends to impose a nationwide mask mandate when invited to do so by NBC’s Chuck Todd.

Biden’s presidential campaign emphasized mask-wearing, with Biden almost always seen with a mask. In a prepared campaign video depicting Biden’s selection of Harris as his vice presidential running mate, Biden was seen wearing a surgical mask while in his own office.