On Sunday, Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19, just days after White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced that she had been infected with the virus.
“This afternoon, after returning from the President’s trip to Europe, I took a PCR test. That test came back positive,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement. “I last saw the President during a socially distanced meeting yesterday, and the President 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.”
“Thanks to being fully vaccinated and boosted, I have only experienced mild symptoms. In alignment with White House COVID-19 protocols, I will work from home and plan to return to work in person at the conclusion of a five-day isolation period and a negative test,” the statement added.
Last week, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19 and that she was no longer accompanying President Biden on his trip to Europe to meet with U.S. allies to address Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“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,” Psaki said in a statement. “I had two socially-distanced meetings with the President yesterday, and the President 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,” the statement added. “Thanks to the vaccine, I have only experienced mild symptoms. In alignment with White House COVID-19 protocols, I will work from home and plan to return to work in person at the conclusion of a five-day isolation period and a negative test.”
