By ZEKE MILLER
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris examined optimistic for COVID-19 on Tuesday, the White House introduced, underscoring the persistence of the extremely contagious virus even because the U.S. eases restrictions in a bid to return to pre-pandemic normalcy.
Neither President Joe Biden nor first woman Jill Biden was thought of a “close contact” of Harris in current days, mentioned the vp’s press secretary, Kirsten Allen. Harris had been scheduled to attend Biden’s Tuesday morning Presidential Daily Brief however was not current, the White House mentioned.
She had returned Monday from a weeklong journey to the West Coast. The final time she noticed Biden was the earlier Monday, April 18.
“I have no symptoms, and I will continue to isolate and follow CDC guidelines,” Harris tweeted. “I’m grateful to be both vaccinated and boosted.”
After consulting together with her physicians, Harris, 57, was prescribed and is taking Paxlovid, the Pfizer antiviral capsule, her workplace mentioned late Tuesday. The drug, when administered inside 5 days of signs showing, has been confirmed to deliver a couple of 90% discount in hospitalizations and deaths amongst sufferers most definitely to get extreme illness.
Biden phoned Harris Tuesday afternoon to verify she “has everything she needs” whereas working from dwelling, the White House mentioned.
Harris, obtained her first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine weeks earlier than taking workplace and a second dose simply days after Inauguration Day in 2021. She obtained a booster shot in late October and a further booster on April 1. Fully vaccinated and boosted individuals have a excessive diploma of safety in opposition to severe sickness and loss of life from COVID-19, notably from the commonest and extremely transmissible omicron variant.
Harris’ prognosis comes a month after her husband, Doug Emhoff, recovered from the virus, as a wave of instances of the extremely transmissible omicron subvariant has unfold by means of Washington’s political class, infecting Cabinet members, White House staffers and lawmakers together with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., examined optimistic on Tuesday.
Allen mentioned Harris would comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pointers “and the advice of her physicians.” It was not instantly clear whether or not she is being prescribed any antiviral therapies.
The White House has put in place strict COVID-19 protocols across the president, vp and their spouses, together with every day testing for these anticipated to be in shut contact with them. Biden is examined often on the recommendation of his doctor, the White House has mentioned, and final examined destructive on Monday.
“We have a very very contagious variant out there,” mentioned White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Aashish Jha on Tuesday. “It is going to be hard to ensure that no one gets COVID in America. That’s not even a policy goal.” He mentioned the administration’s purpose is to verify individuals don’t get critically sick.
Jha added that regardless of the precautions it’s doable that Biden himself will come down with the virus sooner or later.
“I wouldn’t say it’s just a matter of time, but of course it is possible that the president, like any other American, could get COVID,” he mentioned. “There is no 100% anything.”
Psaki mentioned she “would not expect” any adjustments to White House protocols.
After greater than two years and almost 1,000,000 deaths within the U.S., the virus continues to be killing greater than 300 individuals a day within the U.S., in response to the CDC. The unvaccinated are at a far higher threat, greater than twice as prone to take a look at optimistic and 9 instances as prone to die from the virus as those that have obtained a minimum of a major dose of the vaccines, in response to the general public well being company.
Harris’ prognosis comes because the Biden administration is taking steps to develop availability of the life-saving Paxlovid, reassuring medical doctors that there’s ample provide for individuals at excessive threat of extreme sickness or loss of life from the virus.
In addition to her husband’s prognosis, Harris was recognized as a “close contact” after her communications director examined optimistic on April 6.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines “close contact” with an contaminated particular person as spending quarter-hour or extra with them over a 24-hour interval. The CDC says individuals with “close contact” don’t must quarantine if they’re updated on their vaccines however ought to put on well-fitting masks round different individuals for 10 days after the contact.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com”