White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said it is 'scary to go to work' amid the COVID-19 pandemic, CBS News reported.

"It is scary to go to work," Hassett said on 'Face the Nation' on Sunday. "I think that I'd be a lot safer if I was sitting at home than I would be going to the West Wing. But, you know, it's the time when people have to step up and serve their country."

Hassett said he is practicing 'aggressive social distancing' and wears a mask when necessary. According to him, he believed administration officials were doing 'heroic work' to address the crisis.

He noted that the West Wing of the White House is a 'small, crowded place' and said it was 'a little bit risky' to work from there.

According to CNN, additional cleaning measures have been introduced in the White House after US Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary Katie Miller had tested positive for COVID-19.

The maximum possible number of employees will work remotely. They are also instructed to report to their superiors about their movements, as well as to monitor the possible symptoms of the disease

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 1.3 million COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the country and over 78.8 thousand people died.