# Trump aide tests positive for CV **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [May 7, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-aide-tests-positive-for-cv/853333 "2020-05-07T15:08:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-aide-tests-positive-for-cv/853333/41 "2020-05-09T00:47:50Z")
“The nurses said that they were sure he had Covid-19 and that they, the nurses, have little faith in the reliability of these tests.” Call that what you will, a diagnosis or an opinion. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-aide-tests-positive-for-cv/853333/42 "2020-05-09T01:18:17Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > IME, nurses don’t make diagnoses themselves. Also, no professional would make a diagnosis without the relevant testing. As I mentioned in another thread today, doctors diagnose flu all the time even when there is a negative flu test. In the first day or two of symptoms, doctor’s informed opinions are actually more accurate than the flu test they use at the office. ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-aide-tests-positive-for-cv/853333/43 "2020-05-09T01:32:17Z")
Well, according to Mr. Trump, who is tested anywhere from daily to weekly depending on the reports, it’s pointless to test people. President Trump: “ > [@](#): > > And this is why testing isn’t necessary. We have the best testing in the world, but testing’s not necessarily the answer because they were testing them,” Trump said of the staff members [who tested positive]. This isn’t meant as a political jab, but as an observation and a puzzlement… Does he think testing is supposed to keep staff from getting infected?? That’s the only context in which that statement makes sense to me. Testing doesn’t work, because they were tested and got it anyway. Ummm… That’s not how this works. That’s not how any of it works. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-aide-tests-positive-for-cv/853333/44 "2020-05-09T01:40:30Z")
Such a statement would reflect that the opinion held by the statementmaker was that America hasn’t tested much, per capita-wise, and that this reflects poorly on America, so the introduction of the down playing of the importance of testing in general is just what the doctor ordered. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-aide-tests-positive-for-cv/853333/45 "2020-05-09T06:19:35Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > As I mentioned in another thread today, doctors diagnose flu all the time even when there is a negative flu test. Do nurses? ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-aide-tests-positive-for-cv/853333/46 "2020-05-09T11:57:00Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Do nurses? You stated “no profesional”. And the point still stands, regardless: observation of symptoms can be a better diagnostic tool than testing. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-aide-tests-positive-for-cv/853333/47 "2020-05-09T15:10:58Z")
[Ivanka Trump’s personal assistant latest to test positive for coronavirus](https://nypost.com/2020/05/09/ivanka-trumps-personal-assistant-latest-to-test-positive-for-coronavirus/) [At least 11 Secret Service agents have tested positive for coronavirus: report](https://nypost.com/2020/05/09/at-least-11-secret-service-agents-have-coronavirus-report/) Both stories from New York Post, May 9, 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-aide-tests-positive-for-cv/853333/48 "2020-05-09T15:27:53Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Most doctors and nurses are not trained scientists, and are susceptible to cognitive flaws like confirmation bias just the same as anyone. > > Although it’s implausible that a medical professional would have gone straight to COVID-19 without first ruling out Lupus. I think he meant that HIPPA regulations would forbid them revealing classified personal information like this. ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-aide-tests-positive-for-cv/853333/49 "2020-05-10T06:33:54Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I think he meant that HIPPA regulations would forbid them revealing classified personal information like this. It’s HIPAA “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-aide-tests-positive-for-cv/853333.md?page=2)