White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that President Biden is not showing symptoms of COVID-19 after he came into close contact with a staffer who later tested positive for the virus.
“He’s asymptomatic,” she told reporters. “I spent several hours with him this morning, and he is feeling great.”
Mr. Biden is scheduled to appear publicly later Tuesday when he delivers a speech on the surging Omicron variant.
The White House confirmed Monday that Mr. Biden came in close contact with a mid-level staffer who tested positive for COVID-19.
Mr. Biden tested negative for COVID that morning, after being notified of the staffer’s positive test. The president will be tested again on Wednesday, Ms. Psaki said in a statement Monday evening.
Mr. Biden received a PRC test Monday morning and received an antigen test Sunday, which was also negative, Ms. Psaki said.
“As CDC guidance does not require fully vaccinated people to quarantine after an exposure,” Ms. Psaki said, “the president will continue with his daily schedule.”
The unidentified staffer does not regularly have contact with the president. But on Friday, the aide spent roughly 30 minutes near the president on Air Force One on a flight from South Carolina to Philadelphia, Ms. Psaki said.
The staff member is fully vaccinated and boosted, according to the White House. The person also tested negative prior to boarding Air Force One, Ms. Psaki said. The staffer did not experience symptoms until Sunday, according to the statement.
Others who were in close contact with the staffer will be notified and tested, Ms. Psaki said.
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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