White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced Sunday that despite being vaccinated against COVID she tested positive for the virus and is experiencing mild symptoms. Psaki went on leave Wednesday after family members tested positive. Psaki said she tested negative until Sunday. Psaki said her last contact with Joe Biden was Tuesday with both wearing masks outdoors and at a distance.
Biden is in Europe for the G20 meeting and climate summit. Psaki did not go on the trip.
Psaki’s statement:
On Wednesday, in coordination with senior leadership at the White House and the medical team, I made the decision not to travel on the foreign trip with the President due to a family emergency, which was members of my household testing positive for COVID-19. Since then, I have quarantined and tested negative (via PCR) for COVID on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. However, today, I tested positive for COVID. While I have not had close contact in person with the President or senior members of the White House staff since Wednesday — and tested negative for four days after that last contact — I am disclosing today’s positive test out of an abundance of transparency. I last saw the President on Tuesday, when we sat outside more than six-feet apart, and wore masks.
Thanks to the vaccine, I have only experienced mild symptoms which has enabled me to continue working from home. I will plan to return to work in person at the conclusion of the ten day quarantine following a negative rapid test, which is an additional White House requirement, beyond CDC guidance, taken out of an abundance of caution.
Psaki posted the statement to Twitter, adding, “Sharing full statement and grateful I am vaccinated and for the amazing Biden team.”
Sharing full statement and grateful I am vaccinated and for the amazing Biden team pic.twitter.com/QDokXo47dK
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) October 31, 2021
