Apr 29, 2022 - Politics & Policy

White House communications director tests positive for COVID

Oriana González

Picture of Kate Bedingfield — Kate Bedingfield. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

White House communications director Kate Bedingfield announced that she tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday.

What she's saying: "I last saw the President Wednesday in a socially-distanced meeting while wearing an N-95 mask, and he is not considered a close contact as defined by the CDC," Bedingfield said in a tweet.

State of play: Bedingfield said she's experiencing "mild symptoms" and will be working from home. She plans to return to work in person "at the conclusion of a five-day isolation period and a negative test."

The big picture: She is the latest White House official to contract the virus, following Vice President Harris, who tested positive earlier this week.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff and press secretary Jen Psaki tested positive in March.
Biden was not considered a close contact of any of those individuals, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which defines close contact as being within 6 feet of an infected person for 15 minutes or longer.

Between the lines: Biden and first lady Jill Biden are expected to attend the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday, where journalists, government officials and other guests are expected to attend.

Anthony Fauci is not attending the dinner due to concerns around the spread of the virus, per NBC News.

Go deeper: Kamala Harris tests positive for COVID-19

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White House communications director tests positive for COVID

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