The change reflects a dynamic within this White House — one that’s dictated everything from internal operations to the president’s travel schedule and could very well scuttle his ambitions to criss cross the country more this year. They’re terrified of JOE BIDEN getting Covid.

Some current and former White House officials foresee a potential political and policy disaster if the president were to contract the virus, even though he is vaccinated and boosted. Covid protocol critics and vaccine skeptics would have a field day with Biden catching Covid and use it to further undermine trust in the administration’s efforts to combat the pandemic. The 79-year-old president would likely take at least a few days to recover—in addition to placing himself in quarantine—which could exacerbate concerns about his age and health.

Aides’ fear of that scenario has prompted the White House to limit Biden’s travel and interactions with voters during his first year in office. That has frustrated Biden, who said last week that in 2022, “I’m going to get out of this place more often. I’m going to go out and talk to the public…I’m going to interface with them.”