Fully vaccinated and boosted Secretary of State Antony Blinken has tested positive for COVID after attending Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
QUICK FACTS:
- Despite being caught up on all of his vaccines and boosters, the State Department announced Secretary Antony Blinken tested positive for the virus Wednesday.
- “The Secretary is fully vaccinated and boosted against the virus and is experiencing only mild symptoms,” the State Department said. “He tested negative on Tuesday and again as recently as this morning.”
- The State Department claimed the Secretary has not come in close contact with President Biden in several days.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT ON BLINKEN’S CONTACT WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN:
“The Secretary has not seen President Biden in person for several days, and the President is not considered a close contact according to guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”
BACKGROUND:
- Blinken is one of many individuals to have contracted COVID at the dinner, with a number of staffers and reporters from CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, and Politico having tested positive as well.
- ABC’s John Karl, who also caught COVID at the high-profile event, was reported to have shaken hands with President Biden during the night.
- Blinken entered isolation and will recover working virtually.
