White House press secretary tests positive for COVID-19

The press secretary dropped off President Joe Biden's ongoing trip in Europe before he departed, citing a family emergency, which is that members of her family have tested positive for the virus.
 

"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," Psaki said in a statement. "I last saw the president on Tuesday, when we sat outside more than six-feet apart, and wore masks."

Psaki said she has been vaccinated and is experiencing mild symptoms. She will return to work after a 10-day quarantine following a negative test.

The press secretary dropped off President Joe Biden's ongoing trip in Europe before he departed, citing a family emergency, which is that members of her family have tested positive for the virus.

She is among the highest-ranking administration officials to contract the disease, with a recent precedent being Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

White House press secretary regularly interacts with the president. Biden, who at age 78 is considered in the high-risk group should he be infected with the virus, has received his Pfizer coronavirus vaccine booster shot.