CIA Director Bill Burns testifies alongside National Intelligence Director Avril Haynes during a House (Election) Intelligence Committee hearing on the diversity of the intelligence community on Capitol Hill, Washington, on October 27, 2021.
Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters
WASHINGTON – CIA Director William Burns tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, the intelligence agency said.
Burns, who has been fully vaccinated and encouraged against Covid-19, last met with President Joe Biden on Wednesday morning in a “socially distance meeting and wearing an N-95 mask.”
“Their interaction is not considered as close communication as defined by the CDC guidelines, and Director Barnes is sharing news of his positive testing outside of the abundance of transparency,” the intelligence agency wrote in a statement.
Burns will continue to serve as CIA director, but will work from home. He will return to the office after a negative test and being isolated for five days. The agency said Burns had mild symptoms.
Burns’ positive test followed two more virus cases in Biden’s orbit.
On Sunday, White House Deputy Press Secretary Karin Jean-Pierre said he had tested positive for Covid-19. White House Press Secretary Jane Sackie tested positive for the virus a few days after she tested positive for the virus, which prevented her from traveling to Belgium and Poland with Biden.
Saki said at the time that Biden was not considered a close contact after two social distance meetings.
Earlier this month, a second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, tested positive for Covid-19. Following positive test results, the White House said Vice President Kamala Harris would avoid a scheduled event “out of sheer caution.”
Biden, 79, received his fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine on Wednesday.