Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday after his wife, Vice President Kamala Harris, spent the day with President Biden.
The White House revealed the positive test just before 6 p.m. — after Harris joined Biden for a 2:30 p.m. bill signing event and after the VP and president huddled around 10:15 a.m. in the Oval Office for an intelligence briefing.
“Earlier today, the Second Gentleman tested positive for COVID-19,” said Sabrina Singh, a spokeswoman for Harris.
Singh said that Harris, 57, “tested negative for COVID-19 today and will continue to test.”
But Singh said that Harris would not attend an evening event on gender equality “out of an abundance of caution.” The event was scheduled to start around 5:30 p.m., but was delayed by about a half hour.
Biden turns 80 this year and his advanced age puts him at much higher risk of serious illness or death from the virus that’s killed nearly 1 million Americans.
Emhoff, 57, was apparently feeling fine and attended an event in DC Tuesday to promote the AmeriCorps community service agency.
At the event, the second gentleman ate a piece of kale at a DC community center before telling attendees Harris would be “very excited” if he brought some home.
“I’m just getting in to public service but I love it,” Emhoff said. “I wish I had done it earlier. … The VP is going to eat that kale and the bok choi.”
Although infection rates are down dramatically across the country, Emhoff is the latest high-profile Democrat to catch the bug. Former President Barack Obama, 60, disclosed Sunday that he tested positive. Several House Democrats who attended a Philadelphia conference last week also tested positive.