Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki responds to Biden’s Covid diagnosis

President anounces he has mild symptoms in video statement

Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki has responded to president Joe Biden testing positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.

In a video statement the president said that his symptoms were mild and that he would continue working.

“Hey folks, I guess you heard, this morning I tested positive for Covid. But I’ve been double vaccinated, double boosted, symptoms are mild.

“And I really appreciate your inquiries and concerns. But I’m doing well, getting a lot of work done, going to continue to get it done. And in the meantime, thanks for your concern, and keep the faith. It’s going to be OK,” he said.

Speaking to NBC News after the announcement of the president’s illness, Ms Psaki said that the best response would be to maintain transparency.

“One is to be as transparent as possible, you don’t want to have big mysterious questions hanging out there about how the president is doing, what his health looks like and that is the reason why I suspect they put out this morning that he’s experiencing mild symptoms and that he’s begun to take Paxlovid,” she was quoted as saying to NBC host Savannah Guthrie.

Earlier Ms Psaki’s successor Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the president, who has taken two booster shots, would follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines by isolating at the White House while carrying out “all of his duties fully during that time”.

Ms Psaki said that the other big concern is “making sure that they’re showing that he is working.”

“That is something that they will have to plan out for every day,” she said. “Showing him on the phone with congressional leaders, foreign leaders, others and engaging in the business in doing his job.”

Ms Jean-Pierre also said that the White House would provide daily updates on Mr Biden’s condition “out of an abundance of transparency”, though she stressed that the is continuing to “carry out the full duties of the office” despite being in isolation.

Ms Jean-Pierre also said that the White House would provide daily updates on Mr Biden’s condition “out of an abundance of transparency” and stressed that is continuing to “carry out the full duties of the office” despite being in isolation.