Alok Sharma tests negative for coronavirus
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Business secretary Alok Sharma has tested negative for coronavirus, after he was seen visibly unwell in the House of Commons yesterday.
Sharma took to Twitter to announce he was Covid-free this evening, after a day of speculation that other cabinet members would have to self-isolate if the business secretary tested positive.
“Huge thanks to everyone for their really kind messages over the last 24 hours and my grateful thanks also to the parliamentary authorities and speaker for their support yesterday,” he said.
“Just had results in and my test for Covid-19 was negative.”
His illness immediately caused concern among some MPs who were already unhappy about the government’s scrapping of virtual parliament this week.
Kilometre-long queues were seen this week when MPs were forced to vote in person while socially distancing.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman assured journalists today that Sharma fell ill during a debate in the Commons and not before.
There was also speculation today that Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak would have to self-isolate if Sharma tested positive, as the three had recently had an in-person meeting.
Downing Street said Sharma had a meeting with the Prime Minister and chancellor for 45 minutes on the economy, but that they all kept a two-metre distance at all times.
Downing Street said that Sharma would go through the NHS track and trace programme if he had tested positive, which would have seen anyone who had been in close contact with the business secretary forced to self-isolate for 14 days.
Close contact is considered to be made if someone has been within two metres of someone else without protective equipment for at least 15 minutes.