White House press chief tests positive for Covid-19

White House press secretary Jen Psaki has tested positive for Covid-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms.

Ms Psaki, 42, said she last met US President Joe Biden last Tuesday.

They sat more than two metres apart outside the White House and wore masks, she said.

Mr Biden, who is regularly tested for Covid-19, received a negative result on Sunday, the White House said.

Ms Psaki did not accompany him to the G20 meeting in Rome at the weekend, with Mr Biden then travelling to Glasgow for the Cop26 climate change talks.

She planned to travel to Europe but cancelled the trip after learning that members of her household tested positive for Covid-19.

“Since then, I have quarantined and tested negative for Covid on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. However, today, I tested positive for Covid,” she said on 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.”

White House staff and other officials who travelled to Europe with Mr Biden have been undergoing daily Covid-19 tests since before they left Washington.

All members of the delegation are fully vaccinated against the disease.

Many of the US officials have received booster shots because their role requires them to travel regularly.

Mr Biden received a booster shot on September 27, shortly after federal regulators said certain groups could receive a third dose.

He has been accompanied on the trip by principal deputy press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre.

Ms Psaki said she would return to work after 10 days of quarantine and a negative result from a rapid test.