UK minister apologizes for not stopping meeting after being told of positive COVID-19 test

A British health minister has apologized for not stopping a meeting after she was informed of her positive COVID-19 diagnosis. 

In a Twitter thread on Tuesday, Gillian Keegan, the minister for care and mental health, wrote she was informed about a precautionary lateral flow test that returned positive ahead of her scheduled meeting.

“When I was told my test was positive I was listening to three fathers who had tragically lost their daughters to suicide,” Keegan wrote on Twitter. “I told them the result and took further precautions but with their consent, I stayed for a short period to hear their stories.”

“I should have immediately ended the meeting and on reflection this was an error of judgment on my part,” she added. “I fully recognise the importance of following the letter and spirit of the policies, so want to be upfront about what happened and to apologise for the mistake I made.” 

The United Kingdom, like most of the world, is still dealing with a spike in coronavirus cases due to the highly contagious omicron variant.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologized last week after a report, which cited multiple “failures of leadership and judgment,” found that he held gatherings on government property despite the pandemic lockdowns.