U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, the State Department announced.
Blinken, who tested positive via a PCR test on Wednesday afternoon, had tested negative Tuesday and as recently as Wednesday morning, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
"The secretary is fully vaccinated and boosted against the virus and is experiencing only mild symptoms," Price said.
Masked, vaxxed, and boostered Blinken just tested positive for covid ? pic.twitter.com/HzuHf9zAqc
— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) May 4, 2022
Blinken has not seen President Joe Biden in person for "several days" and is not considered a close contact, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Price said.
Price added that Blinken will isolate at home and maintain a "virtual work schedule in accordance with CDC guidelines and consultation with the State Department's Bureau of Medical Services."
"He looks forward to returning to the department and resuming his full duties and travels as soon as possible," he said.
Blinken's positive test comes a day after Vice President Kamala Harris returned to in-person work at the White House after testing positive for COVID-19 on April 26.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
