White House aide who was with Biden in Glasgow tests positive for COVID

An official in the Biden administration, who accompanied the President to a climate change summit in Glasgow, Scotland, has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Jennifer Jacobs, a reporter for Bloomberg.

According to The New York Post, Biden, who turns 79 this month, was not seen in public on Thursday. Many noticed on Wednesday at the summit that the President coughed repeatedly during a press conference, appeared to be tired, and was even caught dozing off during the event.

Last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki tested positive for COVID-19 before Biden’s trip. Psaki said Sunday, "…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 that 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 apart, and wore masks."

Psaki was diagnosed less than two weeks after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tested positive for COVID-19 following an event with Biden a few days before.

According to Yahoo News, "Three days before testing positive on Oct. 19, Mayorkas had attended the 40th Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at the U.S. Capitol alongside Biden, where they were photographed just feet apart without masks."

The outlet noted that the same day, Biden and first lady Jill Biden were videoed violating Washington, DC's indoor mask mandate.

In a statement to The Post, the White House said that "One member of the President’s traveling party tested positive through a lateral flow test on Tuesday for COVID-19, although additional tests to date have been inconclusive."

"This individual did not have close contact with the President and is not exhibiting any symptoms. The person has remained in Scotland to complete the quarantine period with the support of the Administration."

Jacobs reported that the aide tested positive from a rapid test which has not yet been confirmed with a more accurate PCR test. Jacobs  was the same reporter who in October 2020 first-reported that then President Donald Trump’s aide Hope Hicks had tested positive for COVID-19 before Trump himself tested positive. Trump, who was 74 at the time, was hospitalized but recovered.

Biden received a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot in September, but due to his age is at increased risk from the virus, including in the demographic hospitalizations and deaths even among those who are fully vaccinated.