Ololade Adeyanju/
US President Donald Trump today said he might be taking a coronavirus test soon.
Trump disclosed this while answering questions at a press briefing at the White House lawn where he announced a national state of emergency to combat the virus.
There had been widespread interest in Trump taking the test after reports that Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s communications chief, who met Donald Trump last weekend at his Florida resort, has tested positive for coronavirus.
Fabio Wajngarten, chief spokesman for the Brazilian government, travelled with Bolsonaro last Saturday to Tuesday to the United States, where the far-right leader met with his US counterpart.
Wajngarten also reportedly took pictures with Trump during the visit.
The president initially shut down the question, saying that per the advice of White House doctors, “I don’t have any of the symptoms.”
“And we don’t want people without symptoms to go and do the test,” he told reporters.
But when grilled by reporters about his encounter with the official at his Florida resort, he changed tack, saying: “I didn’t say I wasn’t going to be tested” and that he “most likely” would be, “fairly soon.”
“Not for that reason but because I think I will do it anyway,” Trump said.
When asked when precisely he will be taking the test, Trump said the schedule would have to be worked out.
He also said the government was freeing up $50 billion in federal funds for the battle against the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic.
“To unleash the full power of the federal government, I’m officially declaring a national emergency,” Trump said.
He called on all US states to set up emergency operation centres and said the government was accelerating testing, amid criticism about the lack of sufficient test kits nationwide.
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