Mick Mulvaney, the former acting White House chief of staff, was tested twice for coronavirus despite exhibiting no symptoms, The Washington Post reports.
Mulvaney was first tested in February. He was scheduled to accompany President Trump on his visit to India, but prior to leaving said he felt sick. Although the test came back negative, Mulvaney did not join Trump on the trip. He was tested again this month after his niece, who shares an apartment with him, showed COVID-19 coronavirus symptoms after visiting Mar-a-Lago and meeting members of a Brazilian delegation who later tested positive for the virus, the Post reports.
During an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in late February, Mulvaney tried to downplay the seriousness of COVID-19, saying it is "not a death sentence" and was being exaggerated because the media thinks "this will bring down the president."
In addition to Mulvaney, two other people close to Trump have been tested for coronavirus despite not showing any symptoms; Mark Meadows, his new acting White House chief of staff, and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). Gaetz and Meadows came into contact with a person at CPAC who was later diagnosed with COVID-19, and the White House medical office arranged their tests because of the possibility they could infect Trump, the Post says.
Federal health officials have said only people who are seriously ill should receive COVID-19 tests, and because of shortages, the United States is testing at a rate of just 0.12 percent, the Post reports. People who have been exposed to COVID-19 are being told to stay at home, take their temperature twice a day, and monitor for any symptoms. Read more at The Washington Post.