NPR

Why A Negative Coronavirus Test Doesn't Necessarily Mean You're In The Clear

Political figures who had contact with the president in the past week are being tested — and reporting negative results. Doctors sound a note of caution about what those results indicate.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin departs from the office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on September 30. Mnuchin is one of the people who had contact with President Trump in the past week and was subsequently tested for coronavirus and reported a negative result.

Several members of Congress and cabinet members who've spent time with President Trump in the last week were tested for coronavirus — and have announced the result was negative.

But that doesn't mean they're in the clear.

These results could be a false negative — which are common in people who've been infected with the virus during

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