White House press secretary Jen Psaki says she has COVID-19

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White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Sunday that she had tested positive for COVID-19, days after pulling out of the president's overseas trip due to a family emergency. Psaki is vaccinated, and said she is only experiencing mild symptons.

Psaki said in a statement on Sunday that emergency was "members of my household testing positive for COVID-19."

"Since then, I have quarantined and tested negative (via PCR) for COVID on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday," Psaki said. "However, today, I tested positive for COVID. While I have not had close contact in person with the president or senior members of the White House staff since Wednesday — and tested negative for four days after that last contact — I am disclosing today's positive test out of an abundance of transparency. I last saw the president on Tuesday, when we sat outside more than six feet apart, and wore masks."

Psaki said she planned to return to work in person after quarantining for 10 days following a negative rapid test, which she said is the White House requirement.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki calls on reporters during the daily news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on October 27, 2021 in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki calls on reporters during the daily news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on October 27, 2021 in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is accompanying President Biden on this overseas trip. Mr. Biden wrapped up the G20 summit in Rome on Sunday, and next he will head to Glasgow for the United Nations-sponsored climate summit.

Mr. Biden, 78, received the two-dose Pfizer vaccine in December and January, and received his booster shot on September 27.

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