Joe Biden tests negative after close contact with aide who contracted COVID

United States President Joe Biden came in close contact with an administration staffer late last week, who later tested positive for COVID-19, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced on Monday.

The individual met Biden on board the Air Force One on Friday while traveling from South Carolina to Pennsylvania and spent about 30 minutes around the President. Jen Psaki said the staff member had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including the booster shot, and started experiencing symptoms days later before testing positive on Monday.

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Jen Psaki said that the President had already tested negative twice since Sunday and will be getting another test done on Wednesday. Biden has been fully vaccinated against COVID, including the booster shot. 

“The President is tested on a regular basis. As part of that regular testing, the President received an antigen test Sunday, and tested negative”, Jen Psaki said on Monday at a White House press briefing.

She added, “This morning, after being notified of the staffer’s positive test, the President received a PCR test and tested negative”, according to reports from New York Times.

The omicron variant has already become the dominant strain in the United States, spreading through communities and crucial governmental structures. Cases have been confirmed around the White House, State Department, National Security Council among other bodies.

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United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken had to cut short a diplomatic tourn last week after at least one person in the team tested positive for the virus.

Meanwhile, United States had reportedly recorded its first death linked to the omicron variant of COVID-19. According to a tweet from County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a man from Texas’ Harris County, who was in his 50s, died after contracting the new variant. He had underlying health conditions and had not been vaccinated.