White House reporters in the small pool assigned to cover President Trump will undergo daily coronavirus tests, just like the president and the vice president, under a new policy.
According to the latest pool report, journalists on Tuesday were given the Abbott Now test inside the White House press room.
Nobody tested positive, said a follow-up report.
The report quoted spokesman Judd Deere who said, “Out of an abundance of caution and to further protect your health and safety as well as the entire complex, members of the restricted in-house pool should be ready in the briefing room at call time for a COVID-19 test to be administered in Lower Press by the White House Medical Unit. Moving forward, we expect to test members of the restricted in-house pool daily.”
The new policy comes after two key White House aides tested positive, and the administration ordered new rules similar to those for the public.
The full report is below:
Your pooler has just taken a Covid test requiring a swab in each nostril for three to five seconds. The two men administering it in lower press said I would get the result in about 15 minutes. The results will be given to White House staff — I signed a waiver allowing this. The fact sheet they gave me indicates it is an Abbot NOW test.
Before taking samples, the men asked the standard set of questions about symptoms and exposure.
Other members of the pool waited in line e behind me, with distance between them.
Temperature checks were also done before I entered security gates.
Spokesman Judd Deere said:
Out of an abundance of caution and to further protect your health and safety as well as the entire complex, members of the restricted in-house pool should be ready in the briefing room at call time for a COVID-19 test to be administered in Lower Press by the White House Medical Unit. Moving forward, we expect to test members of the restricted in-house pool daily.
