Pence's pink eye is a 'burst blood vessel' NOT COVID, official claims, amid speculation Vice President would be next in Trump's orbit to test positive after appearing at debate with a bloodshot eye
Mike Pence's pink eye is a 'burst blood vessel' and not a sign he has coronavirus, a senior administration official has claimed, after the Vice President appeared at Wednesday night's first vice presidential debate with a bloodshot eye.
Speculation has been mounting that Pence would be the next in Donald Trump's orbit to test positive for the virus after viewers spotted his left eye looked suspiciously red as he exchanged blows with Kamala Harris in Salt Lake City.
Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is a symptom of coronavirus with many health experts warning redness of the eyes is a key indicator of an individual being infected with the deadly virus.
With COVID-19 cases currently sweeping through the top ranks of the White House, social media users quickly went into overdrive.
People, including former McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt and former news anchor Katie Couric, questioned whether the vice president has also been struck down with the virus and pointed to case studies and articles from medical experts explaining pink eye is a symptom.
A senior Trump administration official sought to dispel the rumors Thursday, telling Politico the Vice President was in good health and does not have coronavirus.
The official said White House doctors cleared Pence of a conjunctivitis infection and instead believe he simply suffered a broken blood vessel in the eye.
Mike Pence's pink eye is a 'burst blood vessel' and not a sign he has coronavirus, a senior administration official has claimed, after the Vice President appeared at Wednesday night's first vice presidential debate with a bloodshot eye
Pink eye is a symptom of coronavirus with many health experts warning that redness of the eyes is a key indicator that an individual is infected with the deadly virus. Pence's eye last night
The debate got under way Wednesday night where Pence and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris clashed on topics including coronavirus, climate change, racial justice and the Supreme Court.
But while the two opponents couldn't agree on much during the discussion, American viewers were all in agreement afterward that there was something suspicious about Pence's eye.
Some Twitter users dubbed the vice president 'Pink Eye Pence' as they speculated he could be the next member of the Trump administration to test positive for COVID.
Couric tweeted a link to WebMD article about pink eye being a COVID symptom and wrote: '???? “Pink Eye' Often a Symptom of COVID-19,'
Schmidt also questioned whether Pence was well tweeting that pink eye is a sign of infection.
'Serious question. Is Pence sick? He doesn’t look well,' he tweeted, before adding in a follow-up tweet: 'Conjunctivitis is a Covid symptom. #covideye'
Several other people also took to social media to discuss the vice president's possible eye condition.
'Pence has that covid pink eye,' one person shared.
'Is Pink eye a symptom of Covid. Asking for @VP,' one user wrote.
Another said: 'Kamala Harris brought heat and the truth. Mike Pence brought pink eye and a fly.'
'Don't let the fly distract you from what's important: mike pence's pink eye,' another person shared.
Social media users debated whether Pence has coronavirus after he appeared with pink eye
Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is an inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelid.
It can be a symptom of coronavirus - though it is far less common than other symptoms such as coughing, fever and breathing difficulties and it is more commonly linked to other conditions such as the common cold and herpes.
Back in June, University of Alberta researchers said conjunctivitis can be a primary symptom of the virus and that someone showing signs of it should take a COVID test following the case of an infected woman with severe conjunctivitis.
Researchers found that the 29-year-old woman had a severe case of conjunctivitis but minimal respiratory symptoms when she sought medical attention back in March.
The woman then tested positive for the virus - despite showing minimal or no signs of the most common respiratory symptoms - and doctors could find no other reason for her conjunctivitis.
Other medics warned as early as March that red eyes were a sign of infection.
Chelsey Earnest, a worker at the Life Care Center in Kirkland which became a hotbed for the virus, told CNN at the time that the eyes were 'the single most important' sign that residents had COVID-19.
Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is an inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelid. It can be a symptom of coronavirus - though it is far less common than other symptoms such as coughing, fever and breathing difficulties
The American Academy of Ophthalmology also sent an alert as early as March that the virus can cause conjunctivitis.
The nation's leading infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci has also warned that coronavirus can be contracted through the eyes and has told Americans to wear eye protection to block pathogens entering this way.
The virus is primarily contagious through respiratory droplets expelled when people cough, sneeze, speak or breathe and these particles can infect others through the eyes.
'If you have goggles or an eye shield, you should use it,' Dr Fauci said back in July.
However despite several medical case studies showing pink eye as a sign of the virus, the CDC doesn't include it on its list of known symptoms and there could also be several other reasons for Pence's pink eye.
Conjunctivitis is commonly linked to numerous other conditions including the common cold, upper respiratory tract infection, and, in rarer instances, herpes and sexually transmitted diseases.
Other causes include bacteria getting into the eye, chemicals, dry eyes, blepharitis (chronic inflammation of the eyelids) and allergies.
Dr. Jennifer Ashton told ABC News in the immediate aftermath of the debate that while up to 30 percent of COVID patients have pink eye, the vice president could have simply got some make-up in his eye as he prepared for his TV appearance.
'It has been reported, even though it's limited in the medical literature, that anywhere from 11 to 30 percent of COVID-positive patients can have pink eye - it can be an early sign but he also could have just had some makeup in his eye,' she said.
Pence's physician also announced he had tested negative for the virus both Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday on his arrival in Salt Lake City, where the debate was held.
But, as has been seen with the White House outbreak, negative test results only reflect that specific moment in time and don't guarantee the person isn't infected.
Health experts have warned that a negative test is not an all-clear for not having the virus because it is not yet known when an infected person would start showing up as positive in tests.
Trump arrived back at the White House Monday evening and immediately removed his mask.At least 27 people in Trump's orbit have been infected with coronavirus
Those infected include 1. President Donald Trump, 74; 2. First Lady Melania Trump, 50; 3. Fr. John Jenkins, 66. President of the University of Notre Dame; 4. Mike Lee, 49. Republican Utah Senator; 5. Thom Tillis, 60. Republican North Carolina Senator; 6. Kellyanne Conway, 53, Former White House Counselor to the President; 7. Chris Christie, 58. Former New Jersey Governor; 8. Kayleigh McEnany, 32. White House Press Secretary; 9. Chad Gilmartin. Assistant Press Secretary, 22; 10. Karoline Leavitt, 23. Assistant Press Secretary; 11. Pastor Greg Laurie, 67. Harvest Crusades televangelist
In the virus's incubation period - when it is establishing itself in the person's body - the person may test negative because the viral load is too small for detection.
This period typically lasts five or six days but can be around two weeks.
For example, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tested negative for the virus last Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday but then tested positive Monday.
Pence is one of the few in Trump's inner circle who has so far not tested positive for the virus following two apparent 'super spreader' events last week.
At least 34 people in Trump's orbit have now been infected with coronavirus since Trump announced he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive in the early hours of last Friday, according to an internal government memo.
Former White House advisor Kellyanne Conway; Trump's speechwriter Stephen Miller; campaign manager Bill Stepien; debate adviser Chris Christie; and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany are some of those who have now tested positive.
The president was hospitalized over the weekend but has since returned to the White House.
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