After Some 'Not Nice' Texts, Poetic Justice for Ohio Governor

Critics pounced on Mike DeWine's COVID diagnosis, but a 2nd test was negative
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 7, 2020 12:45 AM CDT
After Some 'Not Nice' Texts, Poetic Justice for Ohio Governor
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine acknowledges members of the media while entering his residence after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Bexley, Ohio.   (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine had to bow out of a planned meeting with President Trump Thursday after he tested positive for COVID-19 in a test administered as part of the protocol for those who were to greet Trump at a Cleveland airport. But it turns out the 73-year-old Republican doesn't have the coronavirus after all. A second test taken Thursday came back negative—and it's viewed as more accurate than the rapid-results test DeWine took initially. The second one is a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test, and it detects genetic material related to COVID-19.

Cleveland.com describes his initial test, which looks for antigens, as "a relatively unproven technology." The governor and his wife, who also tested negative, will take a second PCR test on Saturday "out of an abundance of caution." As for the reaction to the initial result, the AP reports DeWine, who was an early proponent of mask-wearing, said he had been sent some “not nice texts” from people saying his diagnosis proves there's no point to wearing masks.

(More coronavirus stories.)

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