A day after visiting Massachusetts, Biden tests positive for COVID-19

WASHINGTON (WLNE) — A day after visiting Somerset, the White House said that President Joe Biden tested positive for the coronavirus.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president, who’s 79 years old, was experiencing “mild symptoms” and started taking Paxlovid.

Jean-Pierre said Biden will isolate at the White House and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time.

Biden is fully vaccinated, after getting two doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine shortly before taking office, a first booster shot in September and an additional dose March 30.

Wednesday, the commander-in-chief made a trip to  Brayton Point to address the climate crisis

In Rhode Island, Gov. Dan McKee welcomed the president in Warwick ahead of his visit to the Commonwealth.

In a tweet Thursday, Matt Sheaff, who’s the governor’s senior communications advisor, wrote that “since [McKee] is fully vaccinated and double boosted there is no need for him to quarantine.”

“He will, however, continue to monitor for symptoms. The Governor did take a PCR test in advance of meeting the President and it was negative,” he added.

In addition to McKee, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi also greeted Biden at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport.

Meaghan McCabe, Whitehouse’s senior communications advisor, told ABC  6 News that while the senator has no symptoms, “he will get tested today and regularly throughout the week out of an abundance of caution after having contact with the president yesterday.”

In a statement, Picozzi said that “when I received the news that President Biden tested positive for Covid, I tested myself and got a negative result.”

The mayor said he has no symptoms and will be self-monitoring.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.