Coronavirus: 1st guest of 2022 White House Correspondents’ Dinner tests positive for COVID-19

WASHINGTON — Steve Herman, Voice of America’s chief national correspondent, confirmed via Twitter late Tuesday afternoon that he has tested positive for COVID-19 after attending Saturday’s 2022 White House Correspondent’ Association Dinner.

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“Feeling increasingly achy today (less than 72 hours after #WHCD2022) so just self-administered a #COVID19 antigen rapid test,” Herman wrote.

Saturday’s gathering ended a two-year hiatus prompted by the pandemic. The annual event honors reporters covering the White House and raises money for journalism scholarships, USA Today reported.

Per The New York Times: “Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, opted against going to the dinner because of the obvious danger. Organizers required all guests to be vaccinated, boosted and test negative before attending, although few wore masks besides the serving staff. As a concession to the potential peril, Mr. Biden, who at 79 is in a high-risk age group, skipped the dinner and came only for the speaking portion of the evening.”

And stringent attendance requirements were in place, Herman wrote on Twitter:

Herman’s diagnosis comes just weeks after the Gridiron Club dinner in D.C. was dubbed a “superspreader” event for the virus, USA Today reported.

That event attracted 2,600 attendees and resulted in more than 70 high-profile COVID-19 cases, including several members of President Joe Biden’s cabinet, NBC News reported.

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2022 White House Correspondents' Dinner President Joe Biden laughs as he listens to Trevor Noah, host of "The Daily Show," speak at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (Patrick Semansky/AP)

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