The office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. This marks the first time the 82-year-old has tested positive for the virus. The announcement came just as the Democratic leader was scheduled to hold her regular weekly news conference from the U.S. Capitol.
According to a Pelosi spokesperson, she is fully vaccinated and boosted and is not currently experiencing any symptoms.
“After testing negative this week, Speaker Pelosi received a positive test result for COVID-19 and is currently asymptomatic,” Drew Hall, Pelosi’s chief of staff, tweeted. “The Speaker is fully vaccinated and boosted and is thankful for the robust protection the vaccine has provided.”
After testing negative this week, Speaker Pelosi received a positive test result for COVID-19 and is currently asymptomatic. The Speaker is fully vaccinated and boosted, and is thankful for the robust protection the vaccine has provided. (1/2)
— Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) April 7, 2022
Despite the joint appearances of President Joe Biden and Pelosi, the White House said that the president is not considered to be a close contact of Pelosi when using the guidelines put in place by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the two had been in the same room twice over the last two days, the interactions were brief and limited to less than 15 minutes, according to NBC News.
NBC News reports that Pelosi had appeared with Biden the day before her diagnosis at a bill signing event at the White House. Pelosi was standing next to Biden, unmasked during the event. The day prior, Pelosi appeared in the East Room of the White House with both Biden and former President Barack Obama at an event celebrating the Affordable Care Act. Pelosi was pictured kissing Biden on the cheek at the Tuesday meeting.
A representative for Biden also said that the president had tested negative on Wednesday night and will continue to test as part of his regularly scheduled testing protocol.
The news of Pelosi’s diagnosis comes during a week when numerous officials within the White House have tested positive for COVID-19. House Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Scott Peters (D-CA), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) announced positive test results this week.
The positive tests have also infiltrated the president’s cabinet with Attorney General Merrick Garland and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. Both cabinet members attended the same Gridiron Dinner on Saturday night in Washington, D.C.
In addition to the government officials, Biden’s sister, Valarie Biden Owens, also received a positive diagnosis for the virus this week.
Over the last two years, Pelosi has advocated for strict COVID-19 protocols. She was a leader in keeping masking rules in place throughout Capitol Hill. However, these rules have been relaxed in recent months as case numbers drop and more Americans become vaccinated.