Published 23:04 IST, October 2nd 2020
Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Trump's youngest son Barron test negative for COVID-19
US Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris have tested negative for COVID-19, hours after Trump announced his infection
- World News
- 3 min read
US Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris have tested negative for COVID-19, hours after President Donald Trump announced he and his wife Melania have contracted the disease.
Biden took to Twitter to announced that he and his wife Jill tested negative and asserted his message that people should wear masks, keep social distance and wash their hands as preventive measures for the virus. Biden had shared the debate stage with Trump on Tuesday.
Senator and vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff also tested negative, CNN reported.
As per CNN, the distance between Donald Trump and Joe Biden's podiums at Tuesday's presidential debate was 12 feet and 8 inches. The candidates did not shake hands with each other or with their moderator during the debate. Biden nor Trump wore masks on stage.
Meanwhile, various Trump family members – including Trump’s youngest son Barron and daughter Ivanka – and Vice President Mike Pence also tested negative for coronavirus. “Barron has tested negative, and all precautions are being taken to ensure he’s kept safe and healthy,” Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's chief of staff and spokeswoman, told USA TODAY.
Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett also tested negative for coronavirus on Friday, CNN reported.
Trump has mild symptoms, in good spirits: White House
Meanwhile, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said President Donald Trump is suffering "mild symptoms" of COVID-19 but is "in good spirits" and "very energetic." Meadows made the comments to reporters outside the White House Friday morning. The Republican leader is 74 years old, putting him at a higher risk of serious complications from the virus.
The chief of staff wouldn't describe the president's mild symptoms or provide details about any treatments that Trump or the first lady were being given while quarantined in the Executive Mansion. Meadows said the core staff members at the White House have been tested and he expects that more White House staffers will test positive.
He also said the White House was aware Thursday before Trump left for his New Jersey fundraiser that Hope Hicks, one of Trump's most trusted and longest-serving aides, had been diagnosed with the virus earlier that day. He said the White House "pulled some of the people that had been traveling" with Hicks, but not the president, who went on to his fundraiser as planned.
(Photo: Twitter)
(With AP inputs)
Updated 23:04 IST, October 2nd 2020