Commission President Ursula von der Leyen goes into coronavirus quarantine

 

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen goes into coronavirus quarantine

 

The Commission president is the latest senior EU politician who has had to self-isolate.

Von der Leyen last Monday traveled to Portugal for a two-day visit. On Tuesday, she was a guest at a Portuguese state council meeting, which was also attended by lawyer and commentator António Lobo Xavier, who over the weekend tested positive for the coronavirus and has mild symptoms of COVID-19, according to local media.

 

By LAURENZ GEHRKE 10/5/20, 9:53 AM CET Updated 10/5/20, 10:01 AM CET

https://www.politico.eu/article/von-der-leyen-self-isolates-after-coronavirus-contact/

 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is self-isolating after being in close contact last week with a person who has tested positive for the coronavirus.

 

"I've been informed that I participated in a meeting last Tuesday attended by a person who yesterday tested positive for COVID-19," von der Leyen said on Twitter Monday. "In accordance with regulations in force, I'm therefore self-isolating until tomorrow morning."

 

Von der Leyen last Monday traveled to Portugal for a two-day visit. On Tuesday, she was a guest at a Portuguese state council meeting, which was also attended by lawyer and commentator António Lobo Xavier, who over the weekend tested positive for the coronavirus and has mild symptoms of COVID-19, according to local media.

 

Eric Mamer, the Commission’s chief spokesman, said the Commission learned of the positive test Sunday evening.

 

On Thursday and Friday of last week, von der Leyen attended a European Council summit of EU leaders.

 

According to Commission protocol, it is up to individual commissioners to decide what travel and which in-person meetings are essential. Von der Leyen's team has said her Lisbon trip — to prepare for the upcoming Portuguese presidency of the Council of the EU — was essential and justified deviating from the Commission's general rule banning all but the most crucial business trips.

 

The Commission president said she will have another coronavirus test today, having already tested negative for the virus last Thursday.

 

Von der Leyen is the latest senior EU politician who has had to self-isolate as a result of coming into contact with someone who later tested positive for the coronavirus.

 

Last month, European Council President Charles Michel postponed the leaders' summit and went into isolation after a security officer with whom he had been in close contact tested positive. Three European commissioners — First Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, and Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides — have also previously gone into self-quarantine as a result of risks of exposure.