White House: Biden to ‘minimize contact’ on Middle East trip due to COVID variants

[mystery-ak]

 White House: Biden to ‘minimize contact’ on Middle East trip due to COVID variants
by Morgan Chalfant - 07/13/22 8:13 AM ET

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Wednesday that President Biden would seek to “minimize” physical contact with other officials while on his trip to the Middle East, citing the rise of new COVID-19 variants. 

“The president takes a range of COVID precautions and additional ones when he travels,” Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One. “We’re trying to minimize contact as much as possible where we can.” 

Her comments followed reports that the White House had informed Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s office that Biden would avoid shaking hands during the visit. 

Jean-Pierre denied that the decision to minimize Biden’s contact with other people on the foreign trip represented a change in policy, though the president has in recent days appeared at large gatherings in the U.S. where he has shaken hands with other people. 

When pressed on whether Biden was seeking to avoid being photographed shaking hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman while in Saudi Arabia, Jean-Pierre said that the decision was made on recommendation from Biden’s doctor and reiterated he would seek to “minimize contact as much as possible.” 

She noted that BA.4 and BA.5, which are subvariants of the COVID-19 omicron variant, currently make up the majority of cases in the U.S. White House health officials briefed reporters on the plan to combat BA.5 during a briefing on Tuesday, which focuses on access to vaccinations, COVID-19 treatments, masks and testing.

more
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3557107-white-house-biden-to-minimize-contact-on-middle-east-trip-due-to-covid-variants/

[mountaineer]

 

[Wingnut]

C'mon man.  Ain't nobody buying that line of Crappolla.   

[Right_in_Virginia]

Anyone buying this   

[Killer Clouds]

Just more proof that the DCP are a bunch of lying hypocritical a$$holes.

[mystery-ak]

That didn't last long..


July 13, 2022 11:11am EDT
Biden shakes hands with Netanyahu after WH vowed he'd avoid the action on Mideast trip
Biden is scheduled to meet with Israeli, Palestinian and Saudi Arabian leaders this week

By Ronn Blitzer | Fox News

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced Wednesday that due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, President Biden would not be shaking hands with anyone during this week's Middle East trip.

Not long afterwards, though, Biden met former Israeli Prime Ministar Bibi Netanyahu, and shook hands with him.

Sullivan had discussed the policy while addressing reporters aboard Air Force One prior to the president's arrival in Israel, the first stop on the trip.

"I think just the simplest way for me to put it is that we're in a phase of the pandemic right now where we're looking to increase masking, reduce contact, to minimize spread," Sullivan said.

While Sullivan acknowledged that "how exactly that plays out in any given interaction is something that we will see," the general no-contact policy is a shift in protocol given that the president had participated in hand-shaking sessions with people at the White House during the past two days.



https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-shake-hands-middle-east-trip-cites-covid

   

[Killer Clouds]

That didn't last long..


July 13, 2022 11:11am EDT
Biden shakes hands with Netanyahu after WH vowed he'd avoid the action on Mideast trip
Biden is scheduled to meet with Israeli, Palestinian and Saudi Arabian leaders this week

By Ronn Blitzer | Fox News

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced Wednesday that due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, President Biden would not be shaking hands with anyone during this week's Middle East trip.

Not long afterwards, though, Biden met former Israeli Prime Ministar Bibi Netanyahu, and shook hands with him.

Sullivan had discussed the policy while addressing reporters aboard Air Force One prior to the president's arrival in Israel, the first stop on the trip.

"I think just the simplest way for me to put it is that we're in a phase of the pandemic right now where we're looking to increase masking, reduce contact, to minimize spread," Sullivan said.

While Sullivan acknowledged that "how exactly that plays out in any given interaction is something that we will see," the general no-contact policy is a shift in protocol given that the president had participated in hand-shaking sessions with people at the White House during the past two days.



https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-shake-hands-middle-east-trip-cites-covid

   

He probably forgot the game plan.

[deb]

Minimum contact with this president means he won’t be sniffing hair.

[Wingnut]

Minimum contact with this president means he won’t be sniffing hair.

Pack up the baby's and grab the old lady's cuz Brother Joe's sniff show is coming to town