Ohio Governor Mike DeWine tested negative for COVID-19 Thursday after initially testing positive for the disease before meeting President Trump in the key battleground state.
“In a second COVID-19 test administered today in Columbus, Governor Mike DeWine has tested negative for COVID-19. First Lady Fran DeWine and staff members have also all tested negative,” posted the Governor on Twitter.
UPDATE: In a second COVID-19 test administered today in Columbus, Governor Mike DeWine has tested negative for COVID-19. First Lady Fran DeWine and staff members have also all tested negative. pic.twitter.com/0Ixap90mJg
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) August 7, 2020
“A PCR test was administered to the Governor and members of his staff this afternoon. The PCR test looks for the specific RNA for the SARS CoV-2 — in other words, the genetic material specific for the virus that causes COVID-19,” said a statement from his office.
“The PCR test is known to be extremely sensitive, as well as specific, for the virus. The PCR tests for the Governor, First Lady, and staff were run twice. They came back negative the first time and came back negative when they were run on a second diagnostic platform,” the statement added.
The first test that came back positive was an antigen test, DeWine’s office said. Antigen tests detect specific proteins on the surface of the virus, according to the FDA.
Gov. DeWine tested positive for coronavirus, then right after that, TESTED NEGATIVE in a second test.
BUT KEEP BELIEVING THE RISING NUMBER OF CASES AND USING THAT TO KEEP EVERYONE LIVING IN FEAR.
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) August 7, 2020
“We do not have much experience with antigen tests here in Ohio. We will be working with the manufacturer to have a better understanding of how the discrepancy between these two tests could have occurred,” the governor’s office said.
DeWine tested positive ahead of a scheduled meeting with Trump in Cleveland. The governor’s office said that test was taken “as part of the standard protocol to greet President Donald Trump on the tarmac at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland.”
DeWine told reporters in a remote press conference that the positive result was “a big, a big surprise.” “I feel fine. I have a headache. But I get a lot of headaches,” he said.
Trump responded to the news after arriving in Ohio later Thursday, saying that, “we wanted to wish him the best. He will be fine.” He added that DeWine has “done a fantastic job.”