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THE WHITE HOUSE press secretary Jen Psaki has said she has contracted Covid-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms.
Psaki, 42, said she was last in contact with President Joe Biden on Tuesday, when she met him in the White House, where they were more than six feet apart and wearing masks.
Biden, who is tested frequently, last tested negative on Saturday, according to the White House.
Psaki did not accompany Biden on his trip abroad to Rome this weekend for the G20 summit and next to Glasgow on Monday for the UN Cop26 climate summit.
Psaki had planned to travel with the president but scrapped the trip just as he was set to depart for Europe after learning that members of her household had tested positive for Covid-19.
“Since then, I have quarantined and tested negative (via PCR) for COVID on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday,” Psaki said in a statement.
“However, today, I tested positive for Covid.”
Psaki said she is only exhibiting mild symptoms.
“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,” Psaki said.
White House staff and others traveling with the president have been undergoing daily tests for Covid-19 since before departing Washington and are all fully vaccinated.
Many officials have also received booster shots, due to the close-quarters environment and frequent travel associated with their work.
Biden got his Covid-19 booster on 27 September, shortly after federal regulators approved the third dose for many Americans.
Biden has been accompanied on the trip by principal deputy press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre.
Psaki said she would return to work in person at the conclusion of a 10-day quarantine and following a negative rapid test.
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I mean, is this sort of thing actually news worthy anymore?
@Football in the Groin: Yes, it is. If the administration of a government is potentially having Covid spread between members………….
@Football in the Groin: i do not think so – no. Some people obviously love it though.
Yawn
So they followed all the guidance and she still gets caught out with Covid. There really is no stopping it, is there?
@LaoisWeather: There are certainly ways to mitigate its impact though.
@LaoisWeather:
Her job involves high interaction with many people daily… This is higher risk by nature…
@Cowboy Ted: In the article it mentions it was members of her household that tested positive, so probably didn’t have anything to do with her work.
@LaoisWeather: think you’ll find of you read the article that her family members tested positive first. Maybe she has young childen? Very transmissable
Mark Zuckerberg in a wig?
@Anarch Eco: Insulting a person’s appearance? Is that really all you have to offer?
@Tricia G: It was just a passing observation, but indeed I too would be insulted if compared to the Zuckerberry.
@Anarch Eco: The humourless are out early this morning!!
@Tricia G: Good lord lighten up. She does have a passing resemblance to Zuckerberg 1st thing I thought myself.
@Tricia G: Grow up with your lefty Bull, suppose if you had enough power you would have him cancelled for a joke, American woke wannabe.
imagine if Joe was to test positive
‘I am disclosing today’s positive test out of an abundance of transparency,” Out of what??? Who comes up with statements like this lol. On a related note, maybe they could apply this ‘abundance of transparency’ to more pressing issues
How is this even news
have your say