Biden was masked during contact with aide who tested positive for Covid

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden was wearing a face mask when he came in contact last week with a White House aide who later tested positive for Covid, two people familiar with the matter said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday evening that Biden had tested negative after being in proximity to the aide for about 30 minutes on Air Force One.

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Biden received a rapid antigen test Sunday and a more accurate PCR test Monday, after being notified of the staffer’s positive test, and tested negative in both instances.

The sources noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people be tested on the third and fifth day after possible exposure to Covid, which is why Biden was given a PCR test on Monday and will get another one of those tests Wednesday.

The White House is anticipating additional cases at the complex in the coming days, the sources said, and staffers are adjusting to the fact this will be the new reality for some time.

The White House doesn’t require staff to get booster shots but is periodically reminding West Wing aides to do so, including in an email on Monday. Everyone who interacts with Biden receives daily testing, but Psaki declined to specify how often the president is tested, saying it’s done “regularly.”

Biden, who turned 79 last month, is in an age group at high risk for severe illness from Covid, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts have repeatedly said getting three Covid shots dramatically reduces the risk of severe illness or hospitalization. The president received his booster shot in late September.

When asked if the White House had changed any protocols to deal with exposure risks, Psaki said Monday: “There hasn’t been a change. Obviously, we will continue to consult with our health and medical experts if any changes need to be put into place.”

Biden is set to deliver remarks Tuesday afternoon about his administration’s ramped-up response to the omicron variant, including making at-home Covid tests free to any U.S. household that requests one and expanding testing sites across the country.