Joe Biden tests negative for COVID-19
Former Vice President Joe Biden has tested negative for COVID-19, his campaign announced on Friday afternoon.
"Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden underwent PCR testing for COVID-19 today and COVID-19 was not detected," said Dr. Kevin O'Connor. "I am reporting this out in my capacity as both Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden's primary care physician."
Questions about the Democratic presidential candidate's health arose after President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus and reported feeling "mild" symptoms early Friday morning. Trump and Biden had appeared together onstage during the first presidential debate on Tuesday. They kept their distance from each other due to concerns about the spread of the virus, and it's not clear if Trump was infectious at the time, but the possibility remained that Biden could have been infected through the air.
A negative test for Biden is not necessarily definitive confirmation that he hasn't been infected. The virus incubation period can be as long as 14 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sen. Kamala Harris, Biden's running mate, has also tested negative.
