Barnaby Joyce jokes as he tests positive for Covid-19

Fully vaccinated Deputy Prime minister Barnaby Joyce, has confirmed he has tested positive for Covid-19 while in Washington DC after experiencing “mild symptoms.”

A statement from the Deputy Prime Minister’s office said Joyce tested positive after arriving in Washington from London on Tuesday night.

“Mr Joyce will remain in isolation until further advice,” a statement reads. 

In his interview with ABC Radio New England, Joyce said it was his choice to get tested. 

“Look, obviously [I am] very frustrated I’m going to be locked up in a room by myself for 10 days, but that’s part of the process,” he said.

Though Joyce believes he’s in the early stages of the illness, he’s more “worried” about being in a room all by himself. 

When asked whether he knew which type of Covid-19 variant he was infected with, Joyce made a wry joke and quipped that he would “have to talk to it tonight and find out which one it is.” 

“It’s just me and Omicron in this room, I’ll have a yarn to it tonight.”

It is understood that other members of the delation have tested negative. However, Australian Embassy officials in Washington who have met with Joyce are now following Covid-19 protocols and are currently isolating while they wait for the results of their Covid-19 tests. 

here’s a few of the people Barnaby Joyce has met in the last few days – Dominic Raab, George Brandis, and other British politicians https://t.co/9sggBFyK2a pic.twitter.com/caDEpaZNjB

— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) December 8, 2021

Joyce was in Washington DC for work relating to the government’s plan to implement new social media regulations. The news of his positive Covid-19 test comes shortly after the shocking news that Queensland had discovered a new, never before seen globally, Covid-19 variant.