On Tuesday, the White House is refusing to characterize the trip of Texas Democrat lawmakers to Washington as a “super-spreader” event; that’s despite the fact that more and more officials who attended the meeting contracted the virus.
Psaki: “Super spreader” is not the characterization that the Biden administration wants to make
During the press briefing at the White House on Tuesday, Peter Doocy of Fox News asked White House press secretary Jen Psaki whether the trip of the Texas Democrats to Washington is considered as a “super spreader”. Doocy further added that over 10% of the Texas Democrats who fled to Washington contracted the virus.
Peter Doocy asks @PressSec if the Texas Democratic trip is now a "super-spreader event":
"Well, I would say that's not a characterization we're making from here… Our message continues to be 'thanks for standing up for voting rights.'" pic.twitter.com/0Q00Ma0s4O
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) July 20, 2021
Psaki answered that the term “super spreader” is not the characterization that they are trying to make. The press secretary also claimed that vaccines are not fool proof, adding that it is a “good sign”. She also claimed that the lawmakers who tested positive for COVID are all fully vaccinated.
The news of the breakthrough of COVID cases came after six lawmakers from Texas tested positive for coronavirus after they abandoned the special session in the state capital to come to Washington. The flight of the Democrat lawmakers was made in an attempt to impede the legislative session wherein Republicans are seeking to pass the election reforms.
Doocy asked Psaki what is the message of the White House to Texas Democrats who fled to Washington. Psaki noted that their message stays the same, thanking the Democrats for “standing up” for voting rights.
The press secretary was further pressed, when she was asked whether Biden supports the mask mandates reinstated in some states in the U.S. However, Psaki claimed that it is not what they are initiating from the federal government. She also claimed that nothing has changed with the COVID guidance for Americans.
Psaki then reiterated the CDC guidelines, stating that unvaccinated people have to wear masks, while those who are fully vaccinated need not wear masks or face coverings. She added that anything they decide will be supervised by medical experts.
The White House is expecting a breakthrough of cases
The comments made by Psaki came after a staffer of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a White House official tested positive for COVID-19. A White House official stated that in accordance with their rigorous COVID-19 protocols, the official stays out of the campus as they wait for the confirmatory COVID test.
The White House said Tuesday that a fully vaccinated staff member tested positive for the novel coronavirus on the same day that someone on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s team tested positive for the virus. | By @HerbScribner https://t.co/ZJDA92EaKh
— Deseret News (@DeseretNews) July 20, 2021
The official also added that the medical unit of the White House already conducted contact tracing where they determined that the aide who tested positive made no close contact with White House principals and staff.
The White House official added that the Biden administration is aware that there will be breakthrough cases. However, as the recent COVID case shows, the symptoms that fully vaccinated individuals shows are typically mild.
