On Sunday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced that she has tested positive for COVID-19, causing her to miss President Biden’s trip to Europe for the G20 summit.
“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,” Psaki said in a statement. “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,” the statement added. “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’s announcement comes two weeks after Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tested positive for COVID-19.
“Secretary Mayorkas tested positive this morning for COVID-19 after taking a test as part of routine pre-travel protocols,” DHS spokeswoman Marsha Espinosa tweeted. “He is experiencing only mild congestion; he is fully vaccinated and will isolate and work at home per CDC protocols and medical advice.”
Mayorkas tested positive a few days after he had attended an event with President Biden.
“The diagnosis comes after Mayorkas attended the 40th Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at the U.S. Capitol alongside President Biden on Saturday,” Fox News reported. “Additionally, images from the event show Mayorkas stood close to Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at one point during the outdoor event, without masks.”
