NICAR20 Conference Attendee Tested Positive for COVID-19
Hopefully senior Voice of America (VOA) management has stopped all non-essential travel to prevent exposure to the COVID-19 virus by journalists who are essential U.S. government employees of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). But if VOA and USAGM management approved any non-essential travel in recent weeks or days, or in case of potential interest of how other organizations are handling the coronavirus crisis, we are re-posting a tweet and additional information from Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. for employees. Clink on the link to the IRE website page article, “IRE monitors NICAR20 coronavirus developments,” for more details.
A person who attended the NICAR20 conference in New Orleans last week tested presumptively positive March 10 with COVID-19. Keep checking the IRE website for any updates.
Updated March 12, 1 p.m. by IRE
The spouse of the NICAR20 attendee with a presumptively positive COVID-19 test result has tested negative for the novel coronavirus.
The attendee is still awaiting word from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on whether the initial test result has been verified at the federal level. That process can take up to a week. The attendee had the test performed on Monday (March 9) and received the presumptive positive result the next day. The test was then sent to CDC for confirmation.
The attendee is feeling fine with minor symptoms similar to a head cold. The spouse did not attend NICAR20 or travel to New Orleans.
