President Piñera and Cecilia Morel were notified of being in ‘close contact’ with a Covid-19 case

The press office of the Presidency reported through a statement that President Sebastián Piñera and the first lady, Cecilia Morel, were notified of being in “close contact” with a person who tested positive for Covid-19.

Both were in close contact with a person who ‘works at the household’ of the couple. Further information on the matter wasn’t provided, nor did they say if there are ministers or other government officials who may be affected for being in contact with the President.

According to La Moneda, both the President and his wife had a PCR test performed this Monday, which tested negative. However, as indicated by health standards, they will be in a preventive quarantine while maintaining their telematic activities.

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‘Both President Piñera and the first lady don’t have symptoms and the PCR test that was conducted yesterday, Monday, January 11 at 8:00 p.m., had a negative result,’ was stated through the document.

During this Tuesday morning, President Piñera participated in an activity along with Interior and Public Security Minister, Rodrigo Delgado, and Defense Minister, Baldo Prokurica, who still don’t know whether or not they are also considered to be close contacts.

In regards to this, the Minister Secretary General of the Government, Jaime Bellolio, explained that ‘having a PCR test performed is part of an active search of the President. An asymptomatic person who works at his home tested positive, but he and the first lady tested negative, which is why people who have been with the President recently don’t have to quarantine, except for other measures that we all know: social distancing, wearing a mask and washing your hands as often as possible.’

The spokesman also pointed out that ‘there is no point in having a PCR test performed soon, since the recent PCR test was negative. They could have another performed in a few more days, although the protocol says that the President must be in quarantine for 14 days. Therefore, even if a PCR test were to be conducted in three or four days and it had a negative result again, even so, he would still have quarantine for 14 days.’