Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki will be returning to The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room on Friday after beating COVID-19.
Psaki announced on October 31 that she had tested positive for COVID-19 and will be returning to the White House after completing her quarantine period, following a COVID-19 negative test.
The White House said today that Psaki will be briefing journalists on Friday on President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s agenda.
She tested positive for the coronavirus after members of her household tested positive for the virus late in October, prompting her to quarantine.
Psaki, who tested negative (via PCR) for COVID for four days before testing positive on October 31, said she last met President Biden several days before he left for Europe while socially distanced and wearing a mask.
She wrote, “On Wednesday, in coordination with senior leadership at the White House and the medical team, I made the decision not to travel on the foreign trip with the President due to a family emergency, which was members of my household testing positive for COVID-19.
“Since then, I have quarantined and tested negative (via PCR) for COVID on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. However, today, I tested positive for COVID.
“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.
“I last saw the President on Tuesday, when we sat outside more than six-feet apart, and wore masks.
“Thanks to the vaccine, I have only experienced mild symptoms which has enabled me to continue working from home. I will plan to return to work in person at the conclusion of the ten day quarantine following a negative rapid test, which is an additional White House requirement, beyond CDC guidance, taken out of an abundance of caution.
