White House Press Secretary Self-Quarantining
[guest post by Dana]
Responding to inquiries about why President Trump had not self-quarantined nor tested for coronavirus after having had contact with the Brazilian press secretary, who was confirmed to have tested positive for the virus, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham issued this statement:
“Both the president and vice president had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time,” Grisham said. “To reiterate CDC guidelines, there is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms, and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine.”
We were informed two days ago that the President was tested, and that the results were negative. In the meantime, Sens. Lindsey Graham and Rick Scott, who were also in contact with the Brazilian entourage, chose to self-quarantine after learning of the aide testing positive for the virus. Graham was also tested for the virus, as a safeguard, and test results were negative.
This morning we are now learning that Grisham has self-quarantined because of her contact with the Brazilian contingency:
White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham is self-quarantining after having contact with individuals from a Brazilian delegation while at Mar-a-Lago who have since tested positive for coronavirus, a White House official confirmed.
“Out of an abundance of caution, she is working from home,” the official told The Post.
Grisham’s move came after interacting with Fabio Wajngarten, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s press secretary who tested positive for COVID-19, during a visit to President Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida complex earlier this month.
“Yes I’m working from home and yes I feel good,” Grisham wrote in a text message to CNBC.
“With my close proximity to the President, it’s better to be safe than sorry,” she added.
Mar-a-Lago, where the average age of its visitor is a reported 80 years, and in spite of all its spectacular glamor and exclusivity, has become somewhat of a “gilded petri dish” for the coronavirus:
The handshakes, diplomatic huddles, cozy VIP photo-ops and meet-and-greets at Mar-a-Lago became a potential nexus for other cases — the mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez, tested positive after being in the same area as the Brazilian officials. Since last weekend, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez and several Republican lawmakers close to the White House — Rep. Matt Gaetz and Sens. Rick Scott and Lindsey Graham — all self-quarantined as a precaution.
The dark cloud over Mar-a-Lago, where Trump often spends holidays and hosts foreign leaders, threatens to mar its reputation as a social destination for elites after a mountain of headlines about an invisible disease spreading through the complex.
Mar-a-Lago closed on Monday for a deep-cleaning:
An email sent to Mar-a-Lago members said “a thorough deep cleaning of the main house, guest rooms, and dining area” was being done, but noted that “the beach club will remain open.”
The note also said that sanitation of “all other areas will follow in the days to come.”
Better late than never, eh?
–Dana
Hello.
Dana (4fb37f) — 3/17/2020 @ 10:28 amIt’s all a hoax anyway.
Dave (1bb933) — 3/17/2020 @ 10:36 amWho? 😉
As she doesn’t do televised WH briefings, Americans wouldn’t recognize her even if she tangoed w/Spicer on ‘Dancing With The Stars.’
DCSCA (797bc0) — 3/17/2020 @ 11:20 amI mean to add this, form the presser:
“Not — not something I want to do every day, I can tell you that,” Trump said, haltingly. ” It’s — you know, it’s a little bit of a — it’s a little bit of — of good doctors in the White House. But it’s a test. It’s a test. It’s a medical test. Nothing pleasant about it.”
It’s a nasal swap, or a cheek swab.
Tom M (347d19) — 3/17/2020 @ 11:31 amGood Grief.
Good grief is right. A little bit of research would have revealed to you that the long swabbing tool needs to reach the nasopharynx. I didn’t see any mention of a cheek swab, but I am willing to do more research.
I am glad the previous thread is finally dealing with misinformation.
BuDuh (bc7703) — 3/17/2020 @ 11:38 amVery thoughtful.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 3/17/2020 @ 12:15 pmI hope she stays healthy.
Ragspierre (d9bec9) — 3/17/2020 @ 12:32 pmHow would we notice? It isn’t like she was doing her job before.
Nic (896fdf) — 3/17/2020 @ 12:59 pmJust an aside, but I haven’t heard of any Democrat congress critter indicate that they will “self-quarantine.”
Jonah Kyle (eed26e) — 3/17/2020 @ 1:17 pmHey, if the swab goes way back it would most likely trigger my gag reflex. I am the bane of my Dental Tech when she cleans my teeth. Maybe Trump is the same. Don’t laugh.
LYNN HARGROVE (740caa) — 3/17/2020 @ 1:20 pm“Just an aside, but I haven’t heard of any Democrat congress critter indicate that they will “self-quarantine.””
God forbid you should look it up.
Davethulhu (c914aa) — 3/17/2020 @ 1:22 pm@9 There was an issue with people being sick with corona virus at CPAC, so far more R pols were exposed, which is one of the reasons we heard a lot about them self-quarantining. Very few Dems invited to CPAC.
Nic (896fdf) — 3/17/2020 @ 1:25 pmNot knowing something is happening doesn’t mean it isn’t. People across the political spectrum are behaving like adults, and idiots. People are complicated.
Colonel Klink (Ret) (305827) — 3/17/2020 @ 1:26 pmThey stick the swab deep up your nose. Or you expel phlegm into a vial to be tested.
Colonel Klink (Ret) (305827) — 3/17/2020 @ 1:28 pmKeep on trying, you’ll find some credible reason to attack Trump. This isn’t it.
rcocean (9d9291) — 3/17/2020 @ 1:40 pmDo you have a link to that approved procedure?
BuDuh (08e795) — 3/17/2020 @ 1:47 pmColonel Klink, this is per the CDC website (again, I can’t send links, but you can search for it via the following text via Google if you like):
I.e., if Trump had no symptoms, they swabbed him, period, end of story.
Make America Ordered Again (23f793) — 3/17/2020 @ 1:52 pmKeep on trying, you’ll find some credible reason to attack Trump.
And his cult will find incredible reasons to defend him. You always do…
Ragspierre (d9bec9) — 3/17/2020 @ 3:25 pmDemocrats don’t go to Mar-a-Lago.
rip mudock (d2a2a8) — 3/17/2020 @ 3:51 pmDemocrats don’t go to Mar-a-Lago.
Better appetizers at Isla-De-Epstein
harkin (89fd8e) — 3/17/2020 @ 4:04 pm_
Several Democrats and Republicans have self-quarantined after exposure to coronavirus, including Ben Ray Lujan, the no. 4 Democrat in the House.
DRJ (15874d) — 3/17/2020 @ 4:16 pmhttps://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-coronaviruss-economic-effect-on-sports-could-be-staggering/
Gawain's Ghost (b25cd1) — 3/17/2020 @ 5:51 pm@20 Trump would know.
Nic (896fdf) — 3/17/2020 @ 5:55 pmSpeaking of Mar-a-Lago:
Unbelievably – and yet all too believable –
Dana (4fb37f) — 3/17/2020 @ 6:10 pmI had that done earlier this year with the flu test. Waaaaaay up the nose. (I had the flu. I also had the shot, so my experience was fairly easy. Did you know the shot not only prevents flu most seasons, but mitigates the symptoms if you get it? I didn’t, but boy was I glad to find out! My only real symptom other than a fever was an agonizing lower back pain for 3-4 days. Made it almost impossible to get out of bed or stand up from a chair. But man, that thing up your nose is not fun.)
Patterico (115b1f) — 3/17/2020 @ 6:16 pmI had a fiber-optic laryngoscopy and I have a broken nose. The doctor tried both nostrils, and put the laryngoscope though the more open one all the way through round and down to my larynx. It was not waterboarding.
nk (1d9030) — 3/17/2020 @ 6:30 pm