White House press secretary Jen Psaki says she tested positive for COVID-19 again
White House press secretary Jen Psaki has tested positive for COVID-19, she announced Tuesday. Psaki said in a statement she had two "socially-distanced" meetings with President Biden on Monday, but said he is not considered a close contact as defined by the CDC.
Psaki said a PCR test she took Tuesday morning came back positive. She said she had taken the test as part of preparation for Mr. Biden's upcoming trip to Europe for a NATO summit, adding that she will no longer join the president on the trip.
Mr. Biden tested negative Tuesday through a PCR test, she said. Both the president and Psaki are fully vaccinated.
Psaki said she is only experiencing "mild symptoms" and will work from home until she is permitted to return in person under CDC guidelines.
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.
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) March 22, 2022
Tuesday's positive test comes approximately five months after Psaki last announced a positive COVID test. On October 31, the press secretary said she tested positive after other members of her family had contracted the virus.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests more than four in 10 Americans have antibodies from surviving a case of COVID-19. However, scientists say the protection offered by a prior infection — and the severity of subsequent cases — can vary widely depending on a number of factors. The Omicron variant also poses a greater risk of reinfections, compared to previous strains.
Alex Tin contributed reporting.