Joe Biden Tests Negative for Coronavirus
Update 10/4/2020: Joe Biden, 77, has tested negative for the coronavirus for the third time since Tuesday’s debate. The Democratic nominee’s campaign has committed to releasing the results of all future Covid-19 tests. Biden is not yet in the clear, however, because most people incubate the virus for two to 14 days before testing positive or showing symptoms, and studies suggest that people may be most likely to spread the virus during the 48 hours before they start to experience symptoms.
Former Vice President Joe Biden and his wife tested negative for Covid-19 Friday morning, the Biden campaign has announced. Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, submitted to tests after President Donald Trump, Melania Trump, and Hope Hicks, a senior adviser to the president, tested positive for the virus. RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and Sen. Mike Lee. (R-UT) have also tested positive in recent days.
On Friday morning, Biden tweeted that he wished Trump and his wife “
Later that day, Biden tweeted the news of his negative result. “I hope this serves as a reminder: wear a mask, keep social distance, and wash your hands.”
I’m happy to report that Jill and I have tested negative for COVID. Thank you to everyone for your messages of concern. I hope this serves as a reminder: wear a mask, keep social distance, and wash your hands.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 2, 2020
The news comes just days after the two candidates shared a stage in Cleveland for the first presidential debate of 2020. Politico’s Natasha Korecki reports the Biden campaign will administer a rapid Covid test everyone who attended the debate on behalf of the campaign. Kamala Harris, Biden’s vice presidential nominee, tested negative before the news broke on Thursday, according to NPR.
At the debate, Trump ridiculed Biden for wearing a mask when he campaigns in public. “I don’t wear face masks like him,” Trump said. “Every time you see him he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away… and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”
Moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump about the large-scale rallies the president has continued to hold throughout the campaign. Biden called holding the events “irresponsible.”
“Well, so far we have had no problem whatsoever,” Trump told Wallace.
The next day, the president held a rally with an estimated 3,000 supporters in Duluth, Minnesota. It was on the Airforce One flight home from Minnesota, according to reports, that Hicks first began experiencing symptoms.
On Thursday, Trump traveled to his property in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he held a fundraiser. Hours later, Trump announced he and his wife had tested positive for Covid-19.
Other Trump Cabinet members, including Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have said they tested negative for the virus. A White House communications aide said Friday that Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter, and her husband, Jared Kushner, tested negative as well.
More than 207,000 Americans have died from complications of Covid-19 since the outbreak began earlier this year.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information emerges.