WASHINGTON (LifeSiteNews) — White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced Sunday that she has tested positive for COVID-19, despite being “fully vaccinated” against the virus.
The Biden Administration press secretary issued a statement Sunday evening noting that she had been exposed to COVID-19 earlier last week, and had therefore opted not to accompany President Joe Biden on his two-week trip to Europe.
Psaki said she tested positive for the virus on Sunday.
In her statement Psaki took care to add that the last time she was near Biden they were both socially-distanced and wearing masks, and said she decided to announce her positive test result “out of an abundance of transparency.”
The press secretary’s announcement makes her the highest ranking official in the Biden White House to publicly reveal a positive COVID-19 test result, the Daily Wire noted.
“On Wednesday, in coordination with senior leadership at the White House and the medical team, I made the decision not to travel on the foreign trip with the President due to a family emergency, which was members of my household testing positive for COVID-19,” the statement read. “Since then, I have quarantined and tested negative (via PCR) for COVID on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. However today, I tested positive for COVID.”
“While I have not had close contact in person with the President or senior members of the White House staff since Wednesday – and tested negative for four days after the last contact – I am disclosing today’s positive test out of an abundance of transparency. I last saw the President on Tuesday, when we sat outside more than six-feet [sic] apart, and wore masks,” the press secretary continued.
Sharing full statement and grateful I am vaccinated and for the amazing Biden team pic.twitter.com/QDokXo47dK
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) October 31, 2021
Psaki then expressed gratitude for having taken her experimental COVID-19 injection, attributing her “mild symptoms” to the shot.
“Thanks to the vaccine, I have only experienced mild symptoms which has enabled me to continue working from home,” she said. “I will plan to return to work in person at the conclusion of the ten day quarantine following a negative rapid test, which is an additional White House requirement, beyond CDC guidance, taken out of an abundance of caution.”
At least 80% of people are estimated to experience “mild symptoms” from COVID-19 even without a vaccine.
Social media users and conservative commentators have been quick to point out that Psaki contracted the virus despite having been “fully vaccinated” and reportedly following CDC guidance regarding mask-wearing and social distancing.
“Jen Psaki, who is vaccinated, has covid,” observed Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton.
Jen Psaki, who is vaccinated, has covid.
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) November 1, 2021
“White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who has received two doses of the vaccine and is a devout mask wearer, revealed last night she had tested positive for COVID-19. Awkward!” remarked British social commentator Toby Young.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who has received two doses of the vaccine and is a devout mask wearer, revealed last night she had tested positive for COVID-19. Awkward! https://t.co/k9zA9CY35r
— Toby Young (@toadmeister) November 1, 2021
CBS reported that Biden’s deputy press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, is accompanying the president in Psaki’s place on his trip to Europe to meet with world leaders and discuss climate change and COVID shots.
Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday that Biden was tested for COVID on Sunday and returned a negative result. She clarified that the impetus to administer a test wasn’t due to Psaki’s positive diagnosis but because Biden was required to produce a negative test result to enter the U.K.
Biden reportedly received the double-dose mRNA Pfizer jabs in December and January, and a booster shot on September 27.
News of Psaki’s positive diagnosis comes after “fully vaccinated” Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tested positive for the virus two weeks ago, just days after he attended an event with Biden where they were seen standing in close proximity without wearing masks.
Last month, “fully-vaccinated” former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, 84, died of alleged “complications from COVID-19” while also battling cancer.
Reported breakthrough cases of COVID-19 among high-profile individuals, including Psaki, have reignited debate about the effectiveness of the jabs.
Psaki’s reported positive case comes amid mounting data suggesting the shots are not as effective in preventing transmission, serious symptoms, or even death attributable to the coronavirus as originally reported.
In August, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky admitted that the injections don’t stop transmission of the virus.
According to Reuters, the Pfizer-BioNTech shots have suffered a steep decline in efficacy over the span of 6 months, falling from 88% to 47%.
CBS reported the effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna jabs in nursing homes dropped to 53.1% over the summer.
Likewise, although Johnson and Johnson initially reported its single-shot injection had roughly 75% efficacy, “real world data” has indicated the efficacy is nearer 50-60%.
It is unclear what percentage of “fully vaccinated” people have contracted breakthrough cases. In May, the CDC stopped counting breakthrough cases unless they resulted in hospitalization or death.