Getty Mike Pence is not on coronavirus quarantine, his spokesperson says.
Vice President Mike Pence’s spokesperson says he’s not in quarantine due to possible COVID-19 exposure despite earlier reports that the vice president was self isolating.
“Vice President Pence will continue to follow the advice of the White House Medical Unit and is not in quarantine. Additionally, Vice President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow,” Devin O’Malley, Pence spokesperson, said in a statement shared on Twitter by CNN’s Jeremy Diamond.
This news came after reports that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and leader of The White House’s Coronavirus Task Force, was going to begin a “modified quarantine” because he was near a White House staffer who tested positive for COVID-19. It also came after Pence’s own press secretary tested positive for COVID-19.
Diamond noted that Fauci is one of three doctors on the coronavirus task force who are undergoing “some form of self-quarantine for the next two weeks,” but he added, “VP will not.” The other two are Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Stephen Hahn, the head of the FDA.
Here’s what you need to know:
An Early Report Said Pence Was Self Isolating at Home
GettyVice President Mike Pence
The earlier report, from Bloomberg, reported that Pence “is self-isolating away from the White House” since his press secretary was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, May 8. The news site noted that the vice president was absent from a May 9 meeting with President Donald Trump and top military leaders, but that he had tested negative for coronavirus on May 10.
That report said that Pence was staying home and was being tested regularly, as was President Trump.
Katie Miller, Pence’s press secretary, is also the wife of President Trump’s senior adviser Stephen Miller.
Trump told CNN of Katie Miller: “She’s a wonderful young woman, Katie, she tested very good for a long period of time and then all of a sudden today she tested positive.” CNN reported that Trump said Katie Miller had contact with Pence but not with Trump.
Katie Miller acknowledged the diagnosis in a tweet, writing, “Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. I’m doing well and look forward to getting back to work for the American people.”
Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. I’m doing well and look forward to getting back to work for the American people. 🇺🇸
The news about Katie Miller came after one of Trump’s valets tested positive for COVID-19. Hogan Gidley, principal deputy press secretary, said in a statement, “We were recently notified by the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus. The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health.”
White House employees are subjected to rapid coronavirus testing that delivers results in a few minutes in an effort to protect the president, vice president, and their staffs.
Trump told CNN: “The test result comes back in five minutes, and we have great testing. Or they wouldn’t be allowed to travel with me. It’s not my choice; it’s a very strong group of people that want to make sure they are tested, including Secret Service.”
In addition, however, at least 11 members of the Secret Service staff tested positive for COVID-19. Twenty-three others on the staff tested positive in the past, according to USA Today.
READ NEXT: Dr. Fauci Self Isolating.