Putin Self-Isolates Amid COVID Outbreak

Kremlin says he has tested negative, but members of his inner circle are infected
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Sep 14, 2021 7:19 AM CDT
Putin Self-Isolates Amid COVID Outbreak
Russian President Vladimir Putin will self-isolate after a rash of COVID cases in his inner circle.   (Sergei Guneyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

Vladimir Putin is going into self-isolation because of coronavirus cases in his inner circle, the Kremlin said Tuesday, adding that the Russian president has tested negative for COVID-19. The announcement came in the Kremlin’s readout of Putin’s phone call with Tajikistan's president, per the AP. Putin has been fully vaccinated with the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, receiving his second shot in April. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Putin is “absolutely healthy,” but will self-isolate after coming in contact with someone who contracted the virus. He didn’t clarify for how long Putin would remain in self-isolation but said the president will continue working as usual. Asked if Putin tested negative for the virus, Peskov said “definitely, yes.”

On Monday, the Russian president attended several public events. He greeted Russian Paralympians, attended military exercises conducted in coordination with Belarus, and met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “Even in my circle problems occur with this COVID,” the Russian leader was quoted by the state RIA Novosti news agency as saying during his meeting the Paralympians. “I think I may have to quarantine soon myself." Asked why Putin proceeded with public events on Monday, even though he already knew that there were coronavirus cases around him, Peskov said that the decision to self-isolate was made after "doctors completed their testing, their procedures." Peskov said that "no one's health was endangered" at Monday's events.

(More Vladimir Putin stories.)

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