White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki Said She Tested Positive For Covid

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that she tested positive for Covid on Tuesday and no longer will travel with President Joe Biden on his trip to Europe.

In a statement, Psaki said that she had two “socially distanced meetings” with Biden on Monday, but “the President is not considered a close contact as defined by CDC guidance.”

More from Deadline

• Hillary Clinton Tests Positive For Covid, Says She's "More Grateful Than Ever" For Vaccines

• More Transmissible BA.2 Omicron Variant Achieves Global Domination: Now Accounts For About 85% Of Covid Cases Sequenced Worldwide, Per WHO - Update

• Omicron BA.2 Variant Now More Than Half Of All New Covid Cases Across Large Swath In U.S., Per CDC

She said that Biden tested negative for Covid on Tuesday.

“Thanks to the vaccine, I have only experienced mild symptoms. In alignment with White House COVID-19 protocols, I will work from home and plan to return to work in person at the conclusion of a five-day isolation period and a negative test,” she said.

Psaki previously canceled plans to travel with Biden on a trip to Europe last fall when family members tested positive. After initially testing negative after quarantining for four days, she tested positive.

Biden is scheduled to travel to Brussels on Wednesday for a meeting with NATO and G7 allies about the Ukraine war. He then will go to Poland to meet with President Andrzej Duda to discuss the humanitarian crisis.

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff tested positive for Covid early last week. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin also tested positive during a visit to D.C. last week and was forced to cancel in person meetings with Biden and at a luncheon on Capitol Hill.

Deputy press secretary Chris Meagher filled in for Psaki at Tuesday’s briefing. He told reporters that no members of the press who went to the briefing on Monday were considered close contacts. He said that reporters who were in close contact with her will be notified.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also appeared at the briefing to preview the president’s trip and give an update on the Ukraine crisis.

“This war will not end easily or rapidly,” Sullivan said.

Best of Deadline

• Awards Season Red Carpet Photos -- See The Gallery

• What's New On HBO Max For March 2022: Day-By-Day Listings For TV Shows & Movies

• New On Netflix For March 2022: Day-By-Day Listings For TV Series, Movies & More

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.