Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden Tests Negative For Covid After Close Contact Alert
The New York Times: Biden Was In Close Contact With Official Who Tested Positive For Covid
President Biden was in close contact with a White House official who later tested positive for the coronavirus, the administration said on Monday. The president spent about 30 minutes near the official aboard Air Force One on a trip from South Carolina to Pennsylvania on Friday, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said in a statement. The official, who was vaccinated and had received a booster shot, began experiencing symptoms two days later and tested positive on Monday morning. “The president is tested on a regular basis. As part of that regular testing, the president received an antigen test Sunday, and tested negative,” Ms. Psaki said. “This morning, after being notified of the staffer’s positive test, the president received a P.C.R. test and tested negative.” (Rogers, 12/20)
CNBC: Biden Tests Negative For Covid After Having Close Contact With Aide Who Contracted Virus
President Joe Biden tested negative for Covid on Monday, days after he was in close contact with an aide who would eventually test positive for the virus, the White House said. He will be tested again Wednesday, press secretary Jen Psaki said in a release. Biden, who turned 79 in November, is the oldest man ever elected to the presidency. He is in good health, his doctor said in a recent report. The president is also fully vaccinated and boosted. (Calia, 12/20)
The risks are high for elderly people —
The Washington Post: A Key Challenge For Biden: Those Most At Risk From Covid Are His Biggest Critics
The virus has always been far more dangerous for older Americans. For those who remain unvaccinated, the difference is staggering. Vaccination doesn’t completely eliminate the risk of death, but it lowers it significantly. An unvaccinated person age 50 to 65 was about as likely to die from the virus in mid-October as a vaccinated person in the over-80 group that has been ravaged by the virus. (Bump, 12/20)
NPR: College Kids Home For The Holidays May Be A Omicron Risk To Extended Families
If you want to protect elderly relatives, you have to begin taking steps one week before a family gathering. "It's not just about what you do when you're hanging out with grandma. It's also about what you do in the days before," says Dr. Emily Landon, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Chicago who has advised students on campus. "Try to avoid having too many contacts with other people outside of your circle," she says. Save up your unmasked, close contacts for the family gathering, so there's less chance of introducing the virus. Remember, omicron appears to be at least two times more transmissible than the delta variant that is still causing nearly 120,000 infections a day. (Aubrey, 12/19)
