Coronavirus: Fauci, 2 other top health officials confirm self-quarantine

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Three of the nation’s top health officials, including high-profile White House coronavirus response team member Anthony Fauci, confirmed they were in self-quarantine after coming in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

Fauci was joined by Robert Redfield, 68, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Stephen Hahn, 60, commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Fauci, 79, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN he will begin a "modified quarantine" after making what he called "low risk" contact with the White House staffer who tested positive for coronavirus.

Fauci has previously tested negative for the coronavirus.

Redfield said he "will be teleworking for the next two weeks" after a "low-risk exposure" on Wednesday to a person at the White House who has the disease, The Washington Post reported Saturday, citing a spokesperson.

Hahn will be doing a full quarantine because he came into contact with the White House staffer who tested positive, CNN reported.

Hahn took a diagnostic test for the coronavirus and the results were negative, The New York Times reported, citing an email from FDA spokesperson Michael Felberbaum.

“As Dr. Hahn wrote in a note to staff today, he recently came into contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. Per CDC guidelines, he is now in self-quarantine for the next two weeks,” Felberbaum wrote.

Officials have not identified the person who exposed Hahn or Redfield to the virus. However, Katie Miller, Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, several media outlets reported.

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