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White House tests journalists for coronavirus

The White House tested journalists for COVID-19 before Thursday’s press briefing, marking the latest effort by the White House and the White House Correspondents’ Association to keep the new coronavirus off the campus

Members of the media wait in line to receive a test for COVID-19 by the White House Medical Unit before attending a news conference with President Trump in the press briefing room at the White House on Thursday.
Members of the media wait in line to receive a test for COVID-19 by the White House Medical Unit before attending a news conference with President Trump in the press briefing room at the White House on Thursday.Read moreAndrew Harnik / AP
    by The Associated Press, The Associated Press
    Published 

WASHINGTON — The White House tested journalists for COVID-19 before Thursday’s press briefing, marking the latest effort by the White House and the White House Correspondents’ Association to keep the new coronavirus off the campus.

The testing followed a report that a member of the White House press corps who was at the White House on Tuesday has experienced symptoms consistent with the disease.

Officials from the White House Medical Unit conducted a rapid form of the COVID-19 test, taking swabs from both nostrils of each press corps member.

Results were expected in time for the briefing that is expected to occur at about 6 p.m. EDT.

President Donald Trump has been tested at least twice for COVID-19, including once using the rapid form of the test administered to reporters. The White House said Trump’s results were negative.

The White House last week also disclosed that anyone expected to be in “close proximity" to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence would be administered a COVID-19 test.

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