Oct 4, 2020 - Politics & Policy

White House identifies 206 people possibly exposed to COVID at Trump fundraiser

Axios

US President Donald Trump waves as he boards Air Force One — President Trump waves as he boards Air Force One before heading to Bedminster, N.J., for a fundraiser. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

The White House has given New Jersey health officials a list of at least 206 people who may have been exposed to the coronavirus at a fundraiser event attended by President Trump in Bedminster last week, the state's department of health tweeted Sunday.

Why it matters: The president has come under criticism for choosing to attend the event at the Trump National Golf Club on Thursday even after close aide Hope Hicks tested positive for the coronavirus.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Trump "socially distanced, it was an outdoor event and it was deemed safe by a White House operations for him to attend that event," per ABC News.

What they're saying: "The contact tracing process is ongoing. Attendees that are seeking a test should consider waiting at least 5-7 days from the event. While the risk is low, a negative test earlier than that time cannot definitively rule out that COVID-19 will not develop," the New Jersey Health Department tweeted.

"Those who are concerned that they were in close contact should quarantine for 14 days. New Jersey officials have been informed that the federal government is also conducting contact tracing," the department added.
Officials are "interviewing staff members of the club and assessing the level of contact they had with the President and his staff and providing public health recommendations accordingly."

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White House identifies 206 people possibly exposed to COVID at Trump fundraiser

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