Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tests positive for COVID-19
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff — Vice President Kamala Harris' husband — has tested positive for COVID-19, the White House announced Tuesday.
Harris and Emhoff skipped an equal pay event at the White House Tuesday afternoon because of the positive diagnosis. Emhoff held an outdoor gardening event in Northeast Washington, D.C., earlier Tuesday. A White House official said the president is not considered a close contact of Emhoff.
A White House official told CBS News that Emhoff was not experiencing symptoms in the morning, but began to feel mild symptoms by the afternoon. He took an antigen test, which came back negative, but a subsequent PCR test came back positive.
Emhoff said Tuesday night on Twitter that he is "vaccinated and boosted" and that he is experiencing mild symptoms.
"Earlier today, the Second Gentleman tested positive for COVID-19," said Deputy Press Secretary to the Vice President Sabrina Singh in a statement. "Out of an abundance of caution, the vice president will not participate in tonight's event. The vice president tested negative for COVID-19 today and will continue to test."
Harris appeared with President Biden on Tuesday for a bill signing event. It is not yet clear whether Harris will quarantine.
Although Emhoff isn't a White House employee, his diagnosis is significant given his stature and interaction with other top officials.
The White House said that as of early Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Biden was last tested Sunday, and tested negative.
During the equal pay event, Mr. Biden said "the first lady's husband" contracted COVID-19, and first lady Jill Biden corrected the president.
— Tim Perry contributed to this report