U.S. first lady Jill Biden's plan to travel to Japan for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics has not changed, the White House said Monday, as the spread of the coronavirus continues to cast a shadow over the global sporting event.
"Nothing has changed as it relates to her travel, or the travel of the delegation," Press Secretary Jen Psaki told a press conference when asked if there would be any specific precautions taken to ensure Biden's safety after a reserve member of the U.S. women's gymnastics team tested positive for the virus during an Olympic training camp in Japan.
While noting that the U.S. government is aware of the COVID-19 cases among some athletes and that it is "monitoring the situation," Psaki said, "Our team will be following very strict safety and health protocols, limiting engagement with the public and keeping our footprint as small as possible."
The White House team dealing with coronavirus issues as well as health officials at the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government all agree that the stringent health measures in place will "keep them safe," she added.
The White House announced last week that President Joe Biden's wife will attend the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics on Friday.
The last time a U.S. first lady attended the opening event of the Olympics was at the 2012 games in London, when Michelle Obama represented the U.S. delegation.