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Former Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden have tested negative for coronavirus, Biden’s campaign announced Friday morning.
“Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden underwent PCR testing for Covid-19 today and Covid-19 was not detected. I am reporting this in my capacity as Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden’s primary care physician, ”Dr. Kevin O’Connor said in a statement issued by the Biden campaign.
The announcement is the latest development since news broke that Donald Trump had tested positive for coronavirus. His wife, Melania Trump; long-time assistant Hope Hicks; the president of the Republican Party, Ronna McDaniel; and Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah also revealed they tested positive for the virus this week.
The news changed the focus of the presidential election and pointed to a reversal of the national discourse to the severity of the coronavirus pandemic.
Biden’s campaign was on a standby mode in response to the news that Trump contracted the virus. Biden’s campaign had reportedly been notified by neither the White House nor the Trump campaign that Trump had been infected, despite the fact that Trump tested positive in the days after he and Biden shared a stage in the first presidential debate.
Biden’s campaign proceeded cautiously in response to the news. Her campaign manager, Jenn O’Malley Dillon, sent an email to all of Biden’s campaign staff telling them to refrain from posting on social media.
“First, rest assured that our campaign staff, in consultation with health experts, have continued to take every precaution to protect Vice President Biden, Senator Harris, their spouses, and our staff. The health and safety of the entire team has been, and will continue to be, our number one priority, ”O’Malley Dillon wrote in the email, confirmed to The Guardian.
He added: “Second, as this situation continues to develop, we ask that you refrain from posting about the situation on social media unless your manager directs you otherwise. We will share additional information and guidance with you as we get it. “
Biden himself tweeted good wishes to the president.
Joe biden
(@Joe Biden)Jill and I send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a speedy recovery. We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the President and his family.
Biden had a tight schedule for the day. He was scheduled to travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan to campaign and, as of Friday morning, that trip appeared to still be underway, albeit delayed.
A fundraising calendar obtained by The Guardian also listed four major fundraisers for Biden and his top substitutes for the day. One included a fundraiser with California Sen. Kamala Harris, Biden’s running mate, and former President Barack Obama on Friday night.
Another virtual fundraiser on Friday featured Biden and rock star Jon Bon Jovi. There was no indication to donors that those fundraising activities would be changed or rescheduled as of Friday morning.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, senior advisers to the president, were reportedly tested negative for the virus on Friday.
Leading Democrats who had been with Biden in recent days also underwent coronavirus tests. Senator Chris Coons, a close friend of the former vice president who represents Biden’s home state of Delaware, who was at the debate, tested negative for the virus, his office said.
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