Jen Psaki, a spokeswoman for Joe Biden at the White House, said Sunday she was positive on Covid-19.
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Psaki, 42, did not travel with Biden to Rome, for the G20 summit, from where the president is scheduled to travel to Glasgow for the Cop26 climate talks.
In a statement, Psaki said she stayed in the U.S. “because of a family emergency in which members of my household tested positive for Covid-19. I have been quarantined ever since and tested negative for PCR on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.” on Covid.But today I was positive on Covid.
“Although I have not had close personal contact with the President or senior White House staff since Wednesday and the test was negative four days after the last contact, I reveal today’s positive test due to the abundance of transparency.”
The news of a positive test for such a close presidential aide came just over a year after the outbreak at the White House reached then-President Donald Trump, who was forced to spend time in the hospital.
Psaki said she last saw 78-year-old Biden on Tuesday, “when we were sitting outside more than 6 feet apart and wearing masks.”
She also said that “thanks to the vaccine, I experienced only mild symptoms, which allowed me to continue working from home.
“I plan to return to work in person at the end of a 10-day quarantine after a negative rapid test, which is an additional White House request in addition to [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] management, great care must be taken. “