Ms. Harris was not on the dinner, however her communications director, Jamal Simmons, attended and examined optimistic afterward. The infections of each the vice chairman and Home speaker imply that the primary and second in line of succession to the presidency have now been hit by the virus in brief order.
Ms. Harris, 57, received her second booster shot on April 1, three days after federal regulators licensed a second dose of the vaccine for folks over age 50. It takes a couple of week for a shot to spice up the immune system. Mr. Biden has additionally obtained a second booster shot. The final time the 2 have been collectively was on April 18, in response to a White Home official.
Ms. Harris, who returned from a visit to San Francisco and Los Angeles on Monday, went to her workplace on the White Home on Tuesday morning and took a fast antigen take a look at as a part of the common protocol for the president and vice chairman. When it got here again optimistic, she took a P.C.R. take a look at, which additionally got here again optimistic. At that time, fairly than attend the every day intelligence briefing with the president as scheduled, she returned residence, the place aides stated she would stay till she exams adverse. Mr. Biden later referred to as to test in on her, aides stated.
After consulting her medical doctors, Ms. Harris additionally began a course of Paxlovid, her press secretary said in a tweet. The antiviral capsule made by Pfizer is meant for high-risk sufferers, and it was not instantly clear whether or not she certified.
Doug Emhoff, Ms. Harris’s husband, examined optimistic for the virus in mid-March. On the time, Ms. Harris was pressured to again out of an occasion with the president, though she continued to check adverse. Mr. Emhoff informed McClatchy Information final week that he had remoted from his spouse for 10 days whereas contaminated, staying in an upstairs room and having meals introduced as much as him.
The spate of infections within the higher reaches of Washington got here amid the unfold of the extremely contagious Omicron subvariant often called BA.2, and served as a reminder that the pandemic endures whilst officers search to roll again restrictions.
Officers within the White Home stated they have been contact tracing to find out who might have been close to Ms. Harris in current days. The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention defines a detailed contact as somebody who spends at the very least quarter-hour inside six toes of the contaminated particular person over a 24-hour interval. Officers have repeatedly emphasised that the White Home maintains stricter measures than the C.D.C. advises.
