President Joe Biden will not be attending former President Barack Obama’s 60th birthday bash at Martha’s Vineyard, the White House announced Monday.
“The White House told Axios in a statement, “While President Biden is unable to attend this weekend, he looks forward to catching up with former President Obama soon and properly welcoming him into the over-sixty club.”
The Obama’s know how to party evidently, as they are scheduled to have as many as 500 guests and more than 200 staff attending.They have faced criticism from some over COVID-19 concerns, but will have a COVID-coordinator to mitigate outbreak risks due to the large gathering.
All attendees are encouraged to be vaccinated and are required to be tested, according to Axios.
The Obamas will host their hundreds of guests at their oceanfront mansion in Massachusetts, and Pearl Jam is scheduled to perform at the event.
Even though the CDC announced in late July that even vaccinated Americans should wear masks while indoors in certain high-risk areas, a reversal of its previous mask guidance. But Martha’s Vineyard does not currently meet the criteria for a “high-risk” area.
Some medical experts have warned against hosting large gatherings under current circumstances, as National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins, telling Americans to use “common sense.”
“If you’re talking about a small party like I might have at my house for 6 or 8 people who are all fully vaccinated, I do not believe, at this point, we need to put masks on to be next to each other,” Collins told CNN on Sunday.
“But if there were 100 people, and, of course, how are you really going to be sure about people’s vaccination status?” he said. “Then the dynamic changes a little bit. There will be some need for common sense there.”
