The White House physician said there is no indication President Trump should be tested for the coronavirus despite his “low risk” exposure.
In a White House statement released Friday, Dr. Sean Conley said that since the president has not exhibited any symptoms related to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, neither quarantining nor testing is “currently indicated.” However, Conley said he will continue to “closely monitor and care for the President.”
“Last weekend, while hosting the Brazilian delegation at Mar-a-Lago, the President briefly came in contact with an individual who 3 days later began showing symptoms and was subsequently confirmed to have COVID-19. This evening we learned of another dinner guest, this one sharing the table with the President and White House Delegation,” Conley said, prefacing his conclusion.
“These interactions would be categorized as LOW risk for transmission per CDC guidelines, and as such, there is no indication for home quarantine at this time. Additionally, given the President himself remains without symptoms, testing for COVID-19 is not currently indicated,” he continued, though not noting if the present was tested for the virus.
The president’s doctor says that despite interactions with two people with COVID-19 last weekend, Trump does not need a test or to self-quarantine at this time. pic.twitter.com/8T9x2pfmhA
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) March 14, 2020
After declaring a national emergency to combat the pandemic on Thursday, Trump was asked by a reporter if it was “selfish” not to be tested for the coronavirus, potentially putting others at the risk of infection.
“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to be tested,” he said.
“Are you going to be?” a reporter asked.
“Most likely, yeah. Most likely. Not for that reason, but because I think I will do it anyway,” the president said.
Asked when the test would happen, Trump said, “Fairly soon. We’re working out a schedule.”
Minutes earlier, Trump maintained there was no reason to be tested for the virus. “No, we have no symptoms whatsoever,” Trump said. “We had a great meeting with the president of Brazil, Bolsonaro. Great guy, very tremendous. He’s doing a fantastic job for Brazil,” he said. “And, as you know, he tested negative, meaning nothing wrong, this morning. And we got that word, too.”
During a Friday interview before Trump’s announcement, Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he recommended a coronavirus test for anybody who interacted with a carrier of the virus.
“Generally speaking, if I were standing next to someone who had been diagnosed with coronavirus, should I isolate myself and find a test as well?” asked MSNBC host Willie Geist. “Yes,” Fauci said.
“OK, so that goes for the president, likely, in theory, at least, but you’ll leave it to his doctor?” Geist asked Fauci.
“I’m going to leave it to his physician, who’s a very good physician,” Fauci added.
Other administration officials, including Ivanka Trump, Attorney General William Barr, and White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, have also been exposed to people who tested positive for the coronavirus. Peter Dutton, the Australian minister for foreign affairs, interacted with them at a gathering last week.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reported Friday that Ivanka Trump had “worked from home,” though she did not require testing because she did not exhibit any symptoms.
Nearly 147,000 people have tested positive for the virus around the world, killing at least 5,500 people, according to the New York Times. In the United States, there are nearly 2,200 confirmed cases of the virus, which has killed approximately 49 people.
