Biden tests negative for COVID-19

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden have tested negative for COVID-19, his doctor confirmed on Friday.

“Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden underwent PCR testing for COVID-19 today and COVID-19 was not detected,” said Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s primary care physician, in a statement.

Biden also tweeted confirmation that he and his wife had tested negative.

“I’m happy to report that Jill and I have tested negative for COVID,” Biden tweeted. “Thank you to everyone for your messages of concern. I hope this serves as a reminder: wear a mask, keep social distance, and wash your hands.”

I’m happy to report that Jill and I have tested negative for COVID. Thank you to everyone for your messages of concern. I hope this serves as a reminder: wear a mask, keep social distance, and wash your hands.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 2, 2020

The news comes hours after President Trump, first lady Melania Trump and others announced they had tested positive for the virus. The president and first lady are currently quarantining in the White House and are experiencing mild symptoms.

It also comes just days after Biden and Trump met in Cleveland for the first presidential debate on Tuesday. The Trump campaign did not notify Biden’s team on Friday of the president’s positive coronavirus test, and Biden’s aides only became aware of the matter after seeing news reports.

Biden’s running mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) was also tested for the coronavirus earlier on Friday. Her results came back negative.

The revelation that the president has tested positive for a virus that has now killed more than 200,000 people in the United States alone has upended the race for the White House just 32 days before Election Day.

Trump’s quarantine means that he won’t be able to campaign in-person at a time when polls show him trailing Biden both nationally and in key battleground states. The Biden campaign announced shortly after news of his test result that the former vice president would travel to Michigan on Friday.

Still, Trump’s positive COVID-19 test raises serious questions about how the race for the White House will proceed in the coming weeks.

Harris and Vice President Mike Pence are scheduled to debate on Wednesday, while Trump and Biden are slated to appear in two more debates, one on Oct. 15 and another on Oct. 22. It’s unclear how Trump’s illness will impact those debates, if they proceed at all.

Trump was set to appear at a fundraiser in Washington, D.C. on Friday, as well as a campaign rally in Sanford, Fla. Both events were canceled after news of the president’s coronavirus test broke.

While the coronavirus is far deadlier than seasonal outbreaks, like the flu, the vast majority of those infected recover from it. But Trump and Biden are at particular risk, given their ages. Both men are in their 70s and older men tend to be at greater risk of experiencing severe symptoms.

White House officials on Friday described the president as “energetic,” and said that they expect him to make a full recovery.

Updated: 12:49 p.m.