Vice President Kamala Harris examined negative for the coronavirus after assembly with contaminated Democratic legislators from Texas — and isn’t being remoted from President Biden, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki mentioned Monday.
Psaki’s remarks got here after Harris’ spokeswoman mentioned late Saturday that the vice chairman didn’t want testing as a result of she by no means acquired shut sufficient to be uncovered to the lethal illness.
During her each day briefing, Psaki was requested whether or not there’s “any safety concern about [Harris] spending time around the president until a certain amount of time has passed.”
“Well, first, I would say that I think the vice president’s office put out that she was tested and that … there was no detection of COVID-19,” Psaki mentioned.
“They also put out some specific details about their proximity to the individuals who tested positive as well. We take these precautions incredibly seriously and abide by … the guidance of our health and medical experts.”
Psaki additionally mentioned that it was “important for everybody to know that the vice president was tested” and that “she, of course, takes these precautions seriously.”
Following Psaki’s remarks, Harris’ workplace confirmed that she examined negative earlier than a Sunday go to to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
Vice President Kamala Harris examined negative for COVID-19 after assembly with contaminated Democratic legislators and isn’t being remoted from Joe Biden.AFP through Getty Images
Psaki declined to elaborate on White House’s earlier characterization of Harris’ appointment as “routine,” saying that it was “scheduled for several weeks, long before the visit of the Texas legislators.”
On Saturday evening, Harris spokeswoman Symone Sanders issued a press release that mentioned the vice chairman didn’t want COVID-19 testing regardless of having met Wednesday with Democrats who fled the Lone Star State on May 30 to stop a vote on a Republican-backed, election-reform invoice.
At the time, three of the Texas lawmakers had examined optimistic for the coronavirus.
“Based on the timeline of these positive tests, it was determined the Vice President and her staff present at the meeting were not at risk of exposure because they were not in close contact with those who tested positive and therefore do not need to be tested or quarantined,” Sanders mentioned.
Two extra Texas Democrats have since examined optimistic for the coronavirus, bringing the full to 5, the director of their caucus mentioned late Sunday. All 5 mentioned they have been absolutely vaccinated.
Psaki’s remarks got here after Harris’ spokeswoman mentioned that the vice chairman didn’t want testing as a result of she by no means acquired shut sufficient to be uncovered to COVID-19.ZUMA24.com
Also throughout Monday’s briefing, Psaki mentioned Biden was persevering with to fulfill in the identical room with Harris.
“There haven’t been additional precautions taken, no,” she mentioned.
Both Biden and Harris have been vaccinated towards COVID-19 and every acquired their first photographs on stay tv.
