It’s only day 3 of October 2020 but already, what a month it’s been. Trump and Melania tested positive for Covid-19 and, in a knee-jerk reaction, the media immediately related their infections to the Air Force1 flight last Wednesday because it was the day Hope Hicks tested positive.
But medical professionals — and those who listen to them — know the median incubation period for COVID-19 is 4.9 to 7 days, with a range of up to 14 days. Though possible, it’s uncommon for people to show symptoms as soon as 24 hours after exposure. Therefore Hicks was most likely infected some 4 to 5 days before her Wednesday test.
That would take the timeline back to Saturday last week and, as it happens, that was the day when the Off-White Residence held a function for presumptive seat-filler, Amy Coney Barrett. Attending the indoor-outdoor event with Trump and Melania were GOP senators, a crowd of republican notables including wealthy donors and others like the Notre Dame University President Father John Jenkins, plus a number of staffers including Hope Hicks. In a short video of the occasion (embedded in Charles Jay’s story), there was one masked guest and no social distancing.
Might this have been the super-spreader event? Of those in Trump’s orbit who have tested positive for Covid-19 since last Wednesday, all attended that function. In addition to himself, Melania and Hope Hicks, the list of positives included Father Jenkins, Bill Stepien (Trump campaign manager), Kellyanne Conway, Thom Tillis and Mike Lee.
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