On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19. Psaki’s positive test marked the second time she has tested positive for the virus over the last five months.
Psaki said she took a polymerase chain reaction test Tuesday morning in preparation for traveling with President Joe Biden to Europe. The positive test means that Psaki will no longer be travelling with President Biden during his upcoming trip to Brussels, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. One of Kate Bedingfield or Karine Jean-Pierre will likely fill in while Psaki deals with COVID-19.
Psaki has reported mild symptoms, which she contributes to the vaccine. “Thanks to the vaccine, I have only experienced mild symptoms,” Psaki said in a statement. “In alignment with White House COVID-19 protocols, I will work from home and plan to return to work in person at the conclusion of a five-day isolation period and a negative test.”
Earlier this week, Psaki had two “socially distanced” meetings with President Biden. The president tested negative for the virus after taking a PCR test on Tuesday. Psaki previously contracted COVID-19 last October after members of her household came down with the virus.
Biden is set to travel to Brussels this week for a NATO summit before heading to Poland later in the week. The conflict in Ukraine is set to be the top priority for both meetings.