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US Vice President Kamala Harris’s office announced that she tested positive for COVID-19 this week. Harris will instead be working from her Washington DC residence throughout the remainder of her quarantine period.
Harris’s office announced Tuesday that the vice president has tested positive for COVID-19. However, as Harris is fully vaccinated and received her booster shot, she is asymptomatic and will be working from the vice president’s residence in Washington and will return to the White House when she tests negative. Harris was also not in close contact with President Joe Biden or first lady Dr. Jill Biden.
The vice president’s case is also considered to be a “breakthrough infection.”
Prior to Harris’s positive test, her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff tested positive for COVID-19. Harris’s communications director Jamal Simmons, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, and deputy Karine Jean-Pierre also tested positive for COVID over the past several weeks. Biden administration officials have expressed concerns that Biden’s regular contact with advisers and supporters may expose him to coronavirus.
This comes amidst a string of COVID-19 cases in Washington among officials as of late. Earlier this month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tested positive for COVID-19. DOJ Attorney General Merrick Garland, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, and Reps. Joaquin Castro and Adam Schiff all tested positive for COVID at that time.
Harris’s office is also experiencing personnel changes as of late as last week, her chief of staff, Tina Flournoy, announced that she would be stepping down from her post as her top aide. A White House official told CNN the news of Flournoy’s departure. Flournoy will be replaced by Democratic strategist Lorraine Voles, who has been serving as Harris’s adviser since joining last year.
In an internal email to the staff obtained by the network, Flournoy said she was “eternally grateful” to Harris and that it was “an honor” to work with Harris.
Flournoy’s exit follows a series of other high-profile departures and replacements. Flournoy’s deputy Michael Fuchs stepped down earlier this month. The White House also announced that Harris’s national security adviser Nancy McEldowney would be stepping down and will be replaced by her deputy Phil Gordon.
