Dr. Fauci plans to attend US Senate hearing Tuesday amid ‘modified’ coronavirus quarantine

WASHINGTON D.C., May 10, 2020, Fox News. Dr. Anthony Fauci will testify at the Senate Health Committee Tuesday, Fox News has learned, while two other White House coronavirus task force members will attend the hearing via video conference after placing themselves in quarantine, Fox News reported.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), will continue to go to the White House for relevant meetings and will likely wear a mask, as he is entering a “modified” quarantine after having “limited” exposure to the virus at the White House, Fox News is told.

After the meetings, Fauci will return to his office at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and work mostly by himself when few others are present, Fox News learned.

Another member of the task force, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Robert Redfield will be “teleworking for the next two weeks” following a “low-risk exposure” to a person at the White House, the CDC said Saturday, adding that Redfield said he feels fine and doesn’t have symptoms of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn — who tested negative Friday, also plans to self-quarantine for two weeks after coming into contact with a staff member who later tested positive, Politico reported.

The FDA and CDC have not disclosed the identity of the person who had tested positive and with whom the agency leaders came into contact.

Fox News confirmed Friday that Mike Pence’s press secretary, Katie Miller, tested positive for coronavirus.

Miller tweeted that night: “Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. I’m doing well and look forward to getting back to work for the American people,” she wrote.

In March, another staff member in Pence’s office tested positive for coronavirus, making that the first White House staffer known to have the virus. Miller is the second person who works at the White House complex to test positive for COVID-19 this week.

This week, the White House revealed that a person working as a valet for President Trump also tested positive for the virus.

And, at least 11 members of the Secret Service — charged with protecting President Trump and other officials — had the virus as of Thursday evening, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tally reviewed by Yahoo News.

NIAID told Fox News Saturday night: “Dr. Fauci has tested negative for CoVID-19, and he will continue to be tested regularly. He is actively monitoring his temperature and other health indicators. He is considered to be at relatively low risk based on the degree of his exposure.”

“Nevertheless he is taking appropriate precautions to mitigate risk to any of his personal contacts while still allowing him to carry out his responsibilities in this public health crisis. Dr Fauci encourages all Americans to also follow CDC guidance with any level of contact with the virus.”

The president and vice president, along with those in their close circle, are tested daily for coronavirus, an administration official has told Fox News. Pence and Trump have also been criticized for not wearing face masks or coverings when in public.

“We have put in place the guidelines our experts have put forward to keep this building safe,” White House press secretary Kaleigh McEnany said. “All of the recommended guidelines we have for businesses that have essential workers were now putting in place here in the White House, so as America reopens safely the White House is continuing to operate safely.”

Ivanka Trump’s personal assistant, who has been working from home for the last few weeks, tested positive this week, according to CNN, which also first reported on Fauci entering a “modified quarantine” on Friday night.

Fox News’ Brie Stimson, John Roberts, Brooke Singman and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report, as well as The Associated Press.