White House press secretary Jen Psaki is the latest government official to test positive for COVID-19.
Her diagnosis means she will not be able to travel with President Joe Biden to Europe, The Associated Press reported.
She said she took the test in advance of the trip this week. She said she will abide by the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and not go on the trip to Belgium and Poland.
“Today, in preparation for travel to Europe, I took a PCR test this morning. That test came back positive, which means I will be adhering to CDC guidance and no longer be traveling on the President’s trip to Europe,” she said on her official Twitter account, according to CNN.
She said that she had met with Biden yesterday but in a socially-distanced setting. He is not being considered a close contact per CDC guidance. But he did take a PCR test and tested negative.
I had two socially-distanced meetings with the President yesterday, and he is not considered a close contact as defined by CDC guidance. I am sharing the news of my positive test today out of an abundance of transparency. The President tested negative today via PCR test.
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) March 22, 2022
She said that she is vaccinated and only had mild symptoms and as per White House COVID-19 protocols, will work from home but will return to the office after the five-day isolation period and a negative test.
Biden is traveling to Europe on Wednesday for meetings concerning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the AP reported.
This is not the first positive COVID-19 test for Psaki. She tested positive in October after several family members at her home also tested positive, USA Today reported.
That diagnosis forced her to cancel a trip to Italy and Scotland, NBC News reported.
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