President Biden has tested negative for COVID-19 after White House press secretary Jen Psaki contracted the disease, the White House said Monday.
White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president took a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test that came back negative Sunday. She made the disclosure on Air Force One en route to Scotland; the United Kingdom requires a negative test for entry.
Ms. Psaki, 42, disclosed her positive test Sunday night, saying she has “mild” symptoms.
She said she was last in close proximity to the president on Tuesday, when they were outdoors and wore masks. She was also near senior presidential advisers on Wednesday, the day before Mr. Biden left the U.S. for summits in Europe.
Ms. Jean-Pierre said the positive test has not affected others at the White House.
“Fortunately her symptoms are mild,” she said of Ms. Psaki. “We cannot wait to have her back, to have all of us back together safely and are sending the very best to Jen and her family.”
Ms. Psaki has had two doses of a vaccine. She said she backed out of the trip to Europe at the last minute upon learning that members of her family had tested positive.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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