Politics | coronavirus After Some 'Not Nice' Texts, Poetic Justice for Ohio Governor Critics pounced on Mike DeWine's COVID diagnosis, but a 2nd test was negative By Kate Seamons Posted Aug 7, 2020 12:45 AM CDT Copied Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine acknowledges members of the media while entering his residence after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Bexley, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine had to bow out of a planned meeting with President Trump Thursday after he tested positive for COVID-19 in a test administered as part of the protocol for those who were to greet Trump at a Cleveland airport. But it turns out the 73-year-old Republican doesn't have the coronavirus after all. A second test taken Thursday came back negative—and it's viewed as more accurate than the rapid-results test DeWine took initially. The second one is a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test, and it detects genetic material related to COVID-19. Cleveland.com describes his initial test, which looks for antigens, as "a relatively unproven technology." The governor and his wife, who also tested negative, will take a second PCR test on Saturday "out of an abundance of caution." As for the reaction to the initial result, the AP reports DeWine, who was an early proponent of mask-wearing, said he had been sent some “not nice texts” from people saying his diagnosis proves there's no point to wearing masks. Read These Next New Fox star, 23, misses first day after car troubles. Iran's supreme leader makes first public comments since ceasefire. Man accused of killing his daughters might be dead. Her blood isn't compatible with anyone else's. Report an error