U.S. first lady Jill Biden heads to Alaska Wednesday on the first stop of a trip that will see her lead the official U.S. delegation at the Olympics in Tokyo.
In Alaska, Biden is scheduled to tour a medical center and call attention to the need for access to health care in rural areas. The White House said Biden will also encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
At the Games in Tokyo, Biden is scheduled to attend Friday’s opening ceremony.
Joining her in the U.S. delegation is Raymond Greene, the chargé d’affaires and interim at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.
“Our team will be following very strict safety and health protocols, limiting engagement with the public, keeping our footprint as small as possible,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Tuesday. “Our COVID team at the White House, as well as health officials at the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and the government of Japan, all agree that the stringent protocols and health measures in place will help keep our delegation safe.”
