WASHINGTON – Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this year but has since recovered, three officials familiar with her diagnosis told The Washington Post.
Two of the officials said she tested positive for the virus in the summer. All of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose her medical condition.
The White House declined to comment on Barrett’s earlier diagnosis.
As the Supreme Court nominee, Barrett is now tested daily and most recently had a negative test for covid-19 on Friday morning, according to deputy White House press secretary Judd Deere.
Deere said she was last with President Donald Trump, who has tested positive for the virus, on Saturday, at her Rose Garden ceremony announcing her nomination to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Barrett has been on the Hill at least three times this week, meeting with roughly 30 senators in one-on-one meetings to discuss her nomination.
“She is following CDC guidance and best practices, including social distancing, wearing face coverings, and frequently washes hands,” Deere said.
In addition to Trump, Barrett also was in contact with Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and the president of Notre Dame, John Jenkins. Both said Friday they had tested positive for coronavirus.The Centers for Disease Control says it has limited information about reinfections with the virus, and is working to learn more, but genome sequencing has confirmed at least two cases of reinfection.
The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, where Barrett is currently a judge, did not comment.
Barrett is also on the faculty of the University of Notre Dame. The school’s spokesman, Dennis Brown, confirmed on Friday that Barrett was teaching this semester but declined to comment on her personal health.
“It would be inappropriate for the university to provide information on an employee’s health history,” the spokesman, Dennis Brown, said.