- The Washington Times - Thursday, April 7, 2022

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, prompting her to enter a five-day quarantine period.

The 82-year-old California Democrat is fully vaccinated and boosted. She is experiencing no symptoms from the virus, her staff said.

“The speaker will quarantine consistent with CDC guidance, and encourages everyone to get vaccinated, boosted, and test regularly,” tweeted Drew Hammill, Mrs. Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff.

As a result of her positive test, Mrs. Pelosi canceled her weekly press conference Thursday.

A scheduled congressional delegation trip to Taiwan she was expected to lead will be postponed.

Mrs. Pelosi visited the White House for a health care event with President Biden and former President Barack Obama on Tuesday and returned for a bill signing with Mr. Biden on Wednesday.

The White House said Mr. Biden tested negative for the coronavirus late Wednesday as part of routine testing. 

The White House also said it determined Mr. Biden did not qualify as a “close contact” with Mrs. Pelosi under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance, which defines it as someone who is less than 6 feet away from an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes in a 24-hour period.

“The president saw Speaker Pelosi at White House events and had brief interactions over the course of the last two days. Last night as a part of his regular testing cadence, the president tested negative,” the White House said in a written statement. “He will continue to be tested regularly. The president wishes Speaker Pelosi a speedy recovery.”

Mrs. Pelosi is the latest Washington politician to test positive for the virus in the past week.

She did not attend Saturday’s Gridiron Club dinner, which included several members of Congress, Cabinet officials and White House staffers who contracted the virus. Those include Reps. Joaquin Castro, Texas Democrat, and Adam Schiff, California Democrat, as well as Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. Attorney General Merrick Garland also announced he has tested positive.

Last month, Mrs. Pelosi said she had no health concerns at her age and continues to test regularly for the coronavirus.

“I get tested almost every day … because many times I see the president and you have to be tested to do that and really, it’s for the safety of my colleagues whom I come in contact with.”

Mrs. Pelosi is planning to run for reelection this year, representing her San Francisco district.

For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.

— Tom Howell Jr. contributed to this report.

• Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com.

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