No plans to test most National Guard for Covid-19 before they deploy across DC The overwhelming majority of the more than 20,000 National Guard members expected in Washington for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration will not be tested for coronavirus before they are deployed from states around the country or upon their arrival in the nation’s capital, a National Guard spokesperson tells CNN. The Pentagon has authorized up to 25,000 National Guard members to help with inauguration security. Testing for National Guard members sent to DC is “case dependent” but not widely required, the spokesperson said, noting there are some screening procedures, such as temperature checks, in place.