CDC director self-quarantining after exposure to COVID-19 at White House

Dr. Robert Redfield, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will self-quarantine for two weeks after he was exposed to a person at the White House who tested positive for COVID-19, a CDC spokesperson confirmed to CNN.

The Washington Post first reported Redfield’s action.

“CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield has been determined to have had a low risk exposure on May 6 to a person at the White House who has COVID-19. He is feeling fine, and has no symptoms. He will be teleworking for the next two weeks,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson noted that “in the event Dr. Redfield must go to the White House to fulfill any responsibilities as part of White House Coronavirus Task Force work, he will follow the safety practices set out by the CDC for those who may have been exposed.”

“Those guidelines call for Dr. Redfield and anyone working on the Task Force at the White House to have their temperature taken and screened for symptoms each day, wear a face covering, and distance themselves from others,” the spokesperson said.

Officials will not identify the person to whom Redfield was exposed. However, Katie Miller, who is the press secretary to Vice President Mike Pence, tested positive on Friday. She is known to often be in the White House coronavirus task force meetings.

White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere declined to confirm the report that Redfield will self-quarantine, but he said the physician to the President and White House operations officials “continue to work closely to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the President, First Family and the entire White House Complex safe and healthy.”

“The President’s physician and White House Operations continue to work closely to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the President, First Family and the entire White House Complex safe and healthy at all times. In addition to social distancing, daily temperature checks and symptom histories, hand sanitizer, and regular deep cleaning of all work spaces, every staff member in close proximity to the president and vice president is being tested daily for COVID-19 as well as any guests,” Deere said in a statement.

Dr. Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, also began to self-quarantine Friday after being exposed to a person at the White House who tested positive.