White House Checks Temperatures of All in Vicinity of Trump
Trump Says Holding Meetings at White House About Coronavirus
(Bloomberg) -- The White House said Saturday it planned to perform temperature checks on any individuals in close contact with President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence.
The announcement, made “out of an abundance of caution,” came as Pence prepared to hold a press conference after a meeting of the White House coronavirus task force.
Elevated temperatures can be one symptom of the Covid-19 virus. Trump has been in contact recently with at least two individuals -- including one from Brazil -- known to have later tested positive for the virus.
A White House doctor on Saturday took the temperatures of people within the West Wing with a contactless thermometer, including journalists and camera crews in the media center, in advance of Pence’s briefing. At least one journalist running a slight fever was denied entry.
Medical personnel are now scanning people as they come into or out of the White House grounds.
Trump has not been tested for the virus. Dr. Sean Conley, physician to the president, said Friday that Trump was at low risk for COVID-19 because his contact with with one of the infected individuals has been “extremely limited.”
At-Risk Age
At 73, the president is part of the age group considered by medical experts to be more likely to become seriously ill if he contracted the novel coronavirus.
Trump convened Saturday’s meeting hours after the House late Friday passed an economic relief plan to deal with the spreading coronavirus, part of what Speaker Nancy Pelosi, lead negotiator of the package, said will be a continuing effort to help the American people.
The House measure, which was backed by Trump, next goes to the Senate for consideration.
Trump said on Twitter that he was “working with States and local governments,” although it was unclear which if any of those individuals were involved in Saturday’s events.
In a followup tweet, the president urged U.S. residents to practice “social distancing” to help slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
Pelosi said Friday night that the House will begin work on another emergency response package “to protect the health, economic security and well-being of the American people” in response to the pandemic.
To contact the reporter on this story: Justin Sink in Washington at jsink1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: James Ludden at jludden@bloomberg.net, Ros Krasny
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