Three high-profile US officials have decided to go for self-quarantine on Saturday, May 9, after they came into contact with someone who tested positive for the Coronavirus. The top US scientists and current adviser to US President Donald Trump, Dr Anthony Fauci, a key member of the White House Coronavirus response team, is starting a "modified quarantine."
The 79-year-old Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). As per recent reports, before visiting the White House or Capitol Hill, the health expert will take every precaution. As per the NIAID, Fauci is considered to be "at relatively low risk based on the degree of his exposure."
A spokesperson said earlier that Fauci had minimal exposure to a known Coronavirus infected person. Later he was tested negative for the COVID-19 and will continue to be tested on a regular basis. However, as per ABC News, a source revealed that Fauci is expected to testify at Senate on Tuesday, May 12.
Top US officials in self-quarantine
Reports also revealed that the 60-year-old Stephen Hahn, US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner is in self-quarantine for a couple of weeks after he came into the contact with someone who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, said FDA spokesman Michael Felberbaum. It should be mentioned that after the Hahn took a Coronavirus test, the results came negative. As of now, FDA has not identified the infected person with whom Hahn had come into contact.
Dr Robert Redfield, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who is expected to testify at a Senate hearing about the Coronavirus next week, announced on Saturday afternoon that he would be going into self-quarantine. The 68-year-old US virologist will telework for two weeks after a "low-risk exposure" on Wednesday to a person at the White House who is infected by the COVID-19.
In a statement, CDC said, "He is feeling fine, and has no symptoms. He will be teleworking for the next two weeks. In the event Dr Redfield must go to the White House to fulfil any responsibilities as part of WHTF on COVID-19 he will be following CDC Safety Practices for Critical Infrastructure Workers Who May Have Had Exposure to a Person with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19."
The agency also added that those guidelines call for Redfield and anyone working on the White House Coronavirus Task Force to have their temperature taken and screened for symptoms each day, as well as wear a face cover and distance themselves from others.
Chairman Sen Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn, said in a statement that he asked White House to allow Hahn and Redfield to testify by video conference at Tuesday's Senate Health Committee hearing about the government response to COVID-19.
He said, "I am grateful that White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, approved a one-time exception to the Administration's policies about hearings, and has agreed that Dr Hahn and Dr Redfield will testify at this hearing by video conference due to these unusual circumstances."
It should be mentioned that Hahn and Redfield would have regularly come in contact with US Vice President Mike Pence and President Trump for the task force related consultation. It is now unclear if they have been tested again this weekend.
The President said on Friday that he would take another Coronavirus test after his personal valet tested positive this week. Pence's press secretary, Katie Miller, who's married to top Trump policy adviser Stephen Miller also tested positive for the COVID-19.
