Trump jokingly moves away from Birx after she reveals she had a fever

The coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force on Monday revealed she was tested for the virus over the weekend after running a low fever, prompting President Trump to jokingly shuffle away from her.

Dr. Deborah Birx, who is among the officials leading the administration’s response to the virus, was responding to a question about how Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) obtained a test despite being asymptomatic and not knowingly coming into contact with any infected individuals.

Birx responded that it’s important for Americans to take personal responsibility and act as if they may have come into contact with someone with the virus to avoid spreading it. She then shared that she had taken such precautions over the weekend.

“Saturday, [I] had a little low-grade fever,” Birx said.

“Uh-oh,” Trump said, throwing his hands up and quickly moving away from Birx to the edge of the stage in the briefing room.

“So, actually, probably a GI thing, but, you know, I’m meticulous. I’m a physician,” Birx said. “I looked it up. … So I got a test late Saturday night, and I’m negative. I stayed home another day just to make sure. That’s how we protect one another.”

“Unless everybody’s taking their temp everyday, we can’t say he had no symptoms,” she continued. “These are the kind of things we have to do for one another. This is the personal responsibility that I’m talking about that we all have to practice.”

Dr. Birx: “I was not here over the weekend…Saturday, I had a little low-grade fever…”

President Trump: “Uh, oh.”

Dr. Birx: “I got a test late Saturday night and I am negative. I stayed home another day just to make sure. That’s how we protect each other.” pic.twitter.com/zi2GT1wnDX

— CSPAN (@cspan) March 23, 2020

Trump, a self-described germaphobe, was also tested for the virus earlier this month after coming into contact with multiple individuals who had either gone into self-quarantine or tested positive for the virus. The president tested negative.

Vice President Pence was tested over the weekend after a staffer in his office was confirmed to have the virus. Pence and his wife both tested negative.

Paul has defended his decision to get tested despite not showing symptoms, noting he did it partly because he had lung damage and was at a higher risk. Paul’s diagnosis has prompted three other Republican senators to go into self-quarantine.