White House: Biden negative for COVID-19 after close contact

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden has tested negative for COVID-19, the White House said Wednesday.

“This morning, President Biden received a PCR test and the test result was negative,” the White House press office said in a statement emailed to reporters, referring to a sensitive test used to detect the presence of coronavirus.

Biden had close contact on Air Force One last Friday with a staff member who later tested positive for the coronavirus and showed signs of COVID-19, the White House said.

That led to the further testing for the 79-year-old president, who is regularly tested for the coronavirus.