George Stephanopoulos says he's 'cleared' of COVID-19 after mask uproar

George Stephanopoulos says he is clear of COVID-19.

On Tuesday, the Good Morning America personality shared the “good news” on Twitter, writing, “Last week I tested positive for COVID antibodies, confirming I cleared the virus after weeks with no symptoms.” He added that he has since signed up for a clinical trial to donate his plasma to be studied.

He also spoke about it on GMA, saying he is “fully recovered.”

His post comes amid backlash over the newsman being seen out and about in East Hampton, NY, including without a mask. Page Six reported that a neighbor there accused him of improper social distancing after his COVID-19 diagnosis, which he revealed publicly on April 13 following his wife Ali Wentworth’s diagnosis earlier in this month. It was claimed he was at a pharmacy there — and while he was wearing a mask, a fellow shopper called it “disconcerting.” The same person said Stephanopoulos was seen walking his dog, sans mask, at a local golf course on Saturday — one day after New York State executive order went into effect mandating that everyone in a public setting is required to wear a mask where social distancing cannot be maintained.

Things escalated Monday when TMZ ran a photo of Stephanopoulos walking and talking on a phone as his mask hung around his neck, not his mouth or nose. It is also the cover of today’s New York Post.

George Stephanopoulos taking a walk on Monday. (Photo: TMZ.com)
George Stephanopoulos taking a walk on Monday. (Photo: TMZ.com)

All of this has led to a flood of social media comments on his pages as well as across Twitter — and ultimately his online comment addressing the matter.

(Screenshot: George Stephanopoulos Instagram)
(Screenshot: George Stephanopoulos Instagram)

Yahoo Entertainment has reached out to a Good Morning America show rep for further comment and will update this story if we hear back.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), serology testing “looks for the presence of antibodies” to determine “who has been infected” and who hasn’t. “It typically takes one to two weeks after someone becomes sick with COVID-19 for their body to make antibodies.” These “antibody test results are important in detecting infections with few or no symptoms” — like Stephanopoulos said was the case with him.

There are still questions about whether having these antibodies actually makes someone immune and for how long.

Two weeks after Wentworth revealed her diagnosis, on April 13, the ABC News anchor said on Good Morning America that he tested positive for the coronavirus. Unlike his wife, though, he said he was asymptomatic.

“I’ve never had a fever, never had chills, never had a headache, never had a cough, never had shortness of breath,” he said. “I’m feeling great.”

He came down with the virus despite the fact Wentworth self-isolated away from the rest of the family as soon as she began experiencing symptoms. He has been working from home since Wentworth’s diagnosis.

For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDC’s and WHO’s resource guides.

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