Topline
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has tested positive for Covid-19, a spokesman tweeted Thursday, making her the latest in a string of prominent public officials that have contracted the virus in recent days.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is seen at the U.S. Capitol on January 7, 2021, in … [+]
Key Facts
Spokesman Drew Hammill tweeted that Pelosi is asymptomatic and “fully vaccinated and boosted,” having recently received a second booster shot.
Hammill added Pelosi, 82, will quarantine in accordance with CDC guidance, meaning she will need to self-isolate for the next five days as long as she remains symptom free.
Pelosi appeared at a bill signing at the White House on Wednesday alongside President Joe Biden and numerous other top officials.
What To Watch For
Pelosi has postponed an upcoming trip to Asia, according to Hammill, which was expected to include a visit to Taiwan. The positive test shouldn’t cause serious disruptions to House business. The House is set to go on a two-week recess starting Friday.
Key Background
Covid cases have been on a steady decline for months across the U.S., but a steady uptick has been reported in the nation’s capital over the past week. D.C. is now reporting an average of 179 new cases a day, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is the highest level since early February. Pelosi’s positive test came just hours after D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) tested positive and a day after Attorney General Merrick Garland and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced they’d received positive tests, while at least four other Democratic members of Congress have disclosed positive tests since Tuesday. And those are the results just publicly known. Politico reported Wednesday that numerous other elected officials and Capitol reporters have tested positive for Covid but kept the news private.
Tangent
There is no mask mandate in place for the Capitol or the White House, and there’s no indication a new mandate is being considered despite the rise in cases.
Further Reading
China warns U.S. against House Speaker Pelosi visiting Taiwan (Reuters)
Elite D.C. appears to be getting pummeled with Covid (Politico)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/04/07/nancy-pelosi-tests-positive-for-covid/