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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has tested positive for COVID-19 and will no longer be heading to Europe with President Joe Biden.
Psaki said she took a PCR test Tuesday ahead of the trip, and Biden had a negative PCR test the same day.
“Today, in preparation for travel to Europe, I took a PCR test this morning,” Psaki said in a Tuesday press release. “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.”
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.
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) March 22, 2022
According to the release, Psaki met with Biden twice on Monday. Because the meetings were socially distanced, she said Biden is not considered a close contact according to CDC guidance.
“I had two socially-distanced meetings with the President yesterday, and he 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,” Psaki said in the statement.
Biden plans to meet with European leaders face-to-face about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He is expected to attend a NATO summit in Brussels on March 24 and a scheduled European Council summit, where efforts to impose sanctions and further humanitarian efforts are underway. The White House later announced a stop in Poland, a crucial ally in the Ukraine crisis.
“Thanks to the vaccine, I have only experienced mild symptoms,” Psaki said. She plans to follow the White House’s COVID-19 protocols and work from home, returning to in-person work after five days of isolation and a negative test.
In a press briefing Tuesday shortly after Psaki’s announcement, the White House said no members of the press who attended a nearly hour-long briefing with Psaki on Monday are considered close contacts.
