Iceland’s President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson tested negative for COVID-19 this morning following a week-long quarantine in the basement of the official residence Bessastaðir, RÚV reports. The President was placed in quarantine after a staff member at the residence tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
On his Facebook page, The President expressed his thanks for all of the warm wishes he had received while in quarantine, stating that he had spent the week comfortably. “I can imagine that quarantine is more trying on children and young people than us adults and not everyone is able to quarantine at home,” he reflected. “My encouragement goes out to all those who now must face restrictions in order to put a stop to the epidemic.”
Indeed, the Bessastaðir basement is far from the worst place one could quarantine. Guðni had access to several rooms as well as a bathroom and small kitchen during his stay there, and was able to continue working remotely.
Guðni told reporters today that he was happy he turned out to be “negative in the positive sense.”
