U.S. President Joe Biden underwent a health test that showed he is not infected with the coronavirus, the White House confirmed on Monday, hours after White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced her COVID-positive status on Sunday. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated aboard Air Force One en route to the climate summit in Glasgow on Monday that the president took a "PCR test yesterday (Sunday) and the result was negative." Jean-Pierre clarified that Biden's test was not conducted due to Psaki’s COVID infection, noting that the president underwent the test "independently" because it "was necessary for entry into the United Kingdom."
Psaki decided not to accompany the president on his European trip because family members had contracted the virus, later confirming that she was also infected. In a statement, Psaki mentioned that she had undergone several health tests over the past week, all of which were negative until she tested positive on Sunday. She added, "Although I have not had close personal contact with the president or senior White House staff since last Wednesday (...) I am disclosing today’s positive test result for transparency." She explained, "I last saw the president on Tuesday when we sat outside (...) and wore masks," indicating that she is experiencing mild symptoms thanks to her COVID vaccination. Psaki stated that she is working from home and confirmed she will undergo a 10-day quarantine before taking another test and returning to the White House. Biden, 78, was in Rome on Sunday attending the G20 summit before heading to Glasgow for the COP26 climate summit. He received a booster shot of the COVID vaccine in September.
