Haven’t seen it widely mentioned on dkos yet, but it has been reported that Miami Mayor, Francis Suarez, tested positive for COVID-19, days after attending an event that also included Brazilian President Bolsonaro and his staff, one of whom also tested positive.
Suarez was one of several politicians, including Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, Sen. Rick Scott and President Donald Trump, who interacted with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his staff during a visit to South Florida last week. Fabio Wajngarten, press secretary to Bolsonaro, tested positive on Thursday after returning to Brazil, and Suarez went into isolation Thursday after learning of Wajngarten’s results. Suarez was in the same room as Wajngarten and Bolsonaro on two occasions Monday during the Brazilian delegation’s visit.
Bolsonaro himself reportedly tested positive, although he currently denies it.
And based on these reports, former FL governor and current Senator Rick Scott is reportedly self-quarantining.
Amid all the ongoing COVID-19 in US stories, it may be easy to see how a story like Miami’s mayor testing positive might be overlooked. But considering how Trump is publicly so far denying being tested and seemingly refusing to get tested, it is worth noting these potential cases of possible exposure, that have occurred close to Trump and his inner circle so far.
In times of widespread health risk to the American people, it is often a great opportunity for leaders to lead by directly demonstrating what people can do to stay safe. Getting tested for COVID-19 would be a personal safety measure for Trump himself, his close family and advisors, and everyone else he will potentially interact with. It would demonstrate to the country, even the world, that he is taking this threat seriously.
Even if Trump himself is not showing symptoms, there is strong evidence that COVID-19 can be spread by people who never become symptomatic — so it makes demonstrating the importance of getting tested, or at the very least practicing precautions such as social distancing and self-quarantining, if you suspect exposure even more important.
And again, there is seemingly no downside for him to get tested, considering how many cases of people he is already interacted with, or indirectly been in contact with, have now been found to have contracted this disease.
The fact that he still at this moment is public unwilling to get tested, or admit that it has already occurred, really shows how far screwed up his priorities are, as President of the United States.