WH Press Secretary Jen Psaki Tests Positive for COVID-19

By Staff, Agencies

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced on Sunday that she tested positive for COVID-19, saying that she last saw US President Joe Biden on Tuesday while outside, more than six feet apart and with both wearing masks.

Biden was in Rome over the weekend for the G20 summit before heading to Glasgow for the United Nations' COP26 climate conference.

Both Psaki and Biden are vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Psaki posted a statement to Twitter saying that the reason she did not join the president on the foreign trip was "due to a family emergency, which was members of my household testing positive for COVID-19."

Upon finding out that family members contracted the disease, Psaki said she quarantined and tested negative for COVID-19 using a PCR test on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but on Sunday tested positive.

"Thanks to the vaccine, I have only experienced mild symptoms which has enabled me to continue working from home," Psaki said.

Psaki plans to return to work in person at the conclusion of the 10-day quarantine following a negative rapid test.

Doctors who spoke with CNN said that it is unlikely that Psaki would have infected Biden during their encounter.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre replaced Psaki on the European trip.