White House press secretary Jen Psaki tests positive for COVID-19

The White House press secretary tested positive for COVID-19 after one of her household members contracted the disease.

Published: October 31, 2021 5:49pm

Updated: October 31, 2021 6:26pm

Press Secretary Jen Psaki has become the highest-ranking Biden White House official to publicly announce she contracted COVID-19, after she tested positive Sunday.

"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 she tweeted. "I last saw the President on Tuesday, when we sat outside more than six-feet apart, and wore masks."

After one of the members in Psaki's household tested positive for COVID-19, she opted to not travel with Biden to Europe on Thursday.

Psaki said she has mild symptoms and is vaccinated, and will take a 10-day quarantine following a negative test before returning to work.