Advertisement

White House confirms a vaccinated official tested positive for COVID

During a briefing on Tuesday, press secretary Jen Psaki said a fully vaccinated White House official tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a reception “off campus” last week.

Video transcript

- An aide to Speaker Pelosi tested positive for COVID after having contact with the Texas delegation that's been around. Can you confirm that a White House official also tested positive? And I'm wondering, what does that mean for the prospects of the Texas delegation being able to sit down with the President at some point at the White House?

JEN PSAKI: Sure. Well first, let me confirm that yesterday a fully vaccinated White House official tested positive for COVID-19 off campus. In accordance with our rigorous COVID-19 protocols, the official remains off campus as they wait for a confirmatory PCR test.

The White House medical unit has conducted contact tracing interviews and determine no close contacts among White House principals or staff or the President. The individual has mild symptoms. We know that there will be breakthrough cases, but as this instance shows, cases in vaccinated individuals are typically mild.

The White House is prepared for breakthrough cases with regular testing. This is another reminder of the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines against severe illness or hospitalizations. And of course, we wish our colleague a speedy recovery. In terms of a meeting, there has not been a meeting planned and there hasn't been a change to that. So I wouldn't say it has an impact on that.