Not far behind the scenes of the West Wing, however, normalcy is still a ways off. Trump’s own top staffers are increasingly working from home. The White House has started to schedule more meetings by teleconference after two staffers tested positive for Covid-19, including one of the president’s military valets. Aides are now required to wear face masks around the White House, and in-person meetings, if they occur at all, are held in the largest conference rooms possible.

Even the White House mess, where staffers grab lunch and coffee, has shut down and is open only through the take-out window…

“People do not feel like the White House has initially taken the threat of the coronavirus seriously,” a former senior administration official said. “It is impossible to socially distance in the West Wing.”

“Everything there is often so cavalier, especially when people are taking their cues from the top,” the official added.