First lady’s positive Covid test complicates Joe Biden plan for G20

WASHINGTON: First lady Jill Biden’s positive test for Covid-19 threatens to upend President Joe Biden’s plans to travel to the G-20 summit in India, coming just days before his expected departure.

The White House announced the first lady’s result Monday night and said she was experiencing only mild symptoms.

The president himself was tested Monday evening and found to be negative.


“The President will test at a regular cadence this week and monitor for symptoms,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, but provided no further details on how regularly Biden would be tested ahead of the summit, which is slated to start on Sept. 9 in New Delhi.

The first lady’s Covid bout comes ahead of a busy travel schedule for the president and a White House official familiar with his plans said no changes had been made at this time.

President Biden is slated to leave for New Delhi on Thursday, according to a White House guidance, and participate in the G-20 on Saturday and Sunday.