WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Antony Blinken tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and is experiencing “mild symptoms,” the State Department’s chief spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
Blinken, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, has not seen President Joe Biden in person “for several days,” Price said. He added that Biden is not considered “a close contact” under CDC guidelines.
Blinken will isolate at home and maintain “a virtual work schedule,” Price said. “He looks forward to returning to the Department and resuming his full duties and travels as soon as possible.”
Blinken was scheduled to deliver a high-profile speech on Thursday outlining the Biden administration’s China policy but Price said that will be postponed.
A spate of other high-profile administration officials and lawmakers have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent weeks including Vice President Kamala Harris, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Many contracted the virus after attending the Gridiron Dinner, an event that hundreds of politicians, reporters and media executives flocked to last month as COVID restrictions eased. Attendees were required to be vaccinated but a negative test was not required
Biden did not attend the Gridiron but he go to last weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, another large-scale event. Attendees of that event were required to be vaccineted, boosted and have a negative test the day of the eventg.