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Washington — Vice President Kamala Harris examined constructive for COVID-19, her workplace introduced Tuesday.
Harris, 57, obtained constructive fast and PCR exams, however is exhibiting no signs, in keeping with her press secretary Kirsten Allen. She is going to isolate and work from the vp’s residence. Allen added that Harris is taking Pfizer’s Paxlovid antiviral capsules, which may scale back the chance of changing into severely unwell, on the path of her physicians.
Harris has not been an in depth contact to both President Biden or first woman Dr. Jill Biden due to their current journey schedules, the assertion mentioned, and can return to the White Home as soon as she exams adverse. She has been vaccinated and obtained two booster pictures.
“At present I examined constructive for COVID-19. I’ve no signs, and I’ll proceed to isolate and comply with CDC pointers. I am grateful to be each vaccinated and boosted,” Harris tweeted.
Mr. Biden and Harris spoke on the cellphone Tuesday afternoon, and the president “wished to examine in and ensure she has all the pieces she wants as she quarantines at house,” in keeping with the White Home.
The vp’s constructive prognosis comes greater than a month after her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, examined constructive for COVID-19.
A number of different members of the White Home workers, together with Harris’s communications director Jamal Simmons and Jill Biden’s press secretary Michael LaRosa, additionally obtained constructive exams earlier this month, as did prime Washington officers together with Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Legal professional Common Merrick Garland and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
The vp was set to fulfill with Mr. Biden within the Oval Workplace on Tuesday morning to obtain a day by day intelligence briefing, although she didn’t take part within the assembly, her spokesperson mentioned.
A White Home official informed CBS Information that Harris did go to the White Home on Tuesday morning and was examined for the coronavirus in her West Wing workplace as a part of her common routine. Harris then left the White Home in her motorcade after receiving a constructive check.
She final noticed the president on April 18, the day of the White Home Easter Egg Roll, after which she departed for California, the place she spent the week attending occasions. Harris returned to Washington on Monday from Los Angeles.
Along with being first within the presidential line of succession, Harris additionally performs a vital function within the 50-50 Senate, casting tie-breaking votes.
“I believe when you take a step again and have a look at the vp, she is boosted, particularly twice,” White Home Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha informed reporters Tuesday. “We now have a really, very contagious variant on the market. It will be onerous to make sure that nobody will get COVID in America. That is not even a coverage aim.”
Whereas the nation noticed a steep drop in new coronavirus infections following a mid-January peak pushed by the extremely contagious Omicron, there was a slight uptick in instances over the previous few weeks as a result of emergence of the brand new BA.2 sublineage of the Omicron variant.
As a part of its efforts to guard People from the virus and bolster entry to remedies, the White Home introduced Tuesday it’s increasing availability of Paxlovid. First approved by the Meals and Drug Administration in December, the capsules have been in brief provide, however supply of the antiviral has since been accelerated.
The White Home can be launching extra “test-to-treat” websites, the place People will be examined and, if they’re discovered to have the coronavirus, obtain free oral antiviral capsules in a single go to.
Weijia Jiang and Kathryn Watson contributed to this report.
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