Joe Biden Gets Infected with COVID-19, White House Says POTUS Exhibits Mild Symptoms Despite High Risk For Severe Case

United States President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and he is experiencing mild symptoms, according to the White House.

In a statement, the White House said: "Consistent with CDC guidelines, he will isolate at the White House and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. He has been in contact with members of the White House staff by phone this morning, and will participate in his planned meetings at the White House this morning via phone and Zoom from the residence."

The White House statement added Biden, 79, is being treated with the antiviral Paxlovid and is fully immunized and twice boosted. Biden is exhausted, has a runny nose, and a dry cough, and did not sleep well as per Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 coordinator.

On Twitter, President Joe Biden thanked his supporters for their concern.

"Folks, I'm doing great. Thanks for your concern. Just called Senator Casey, Congressman Cartwright, and Mayor Cognetti (and my Scranton cousins!) to send my regrets for missing our event today," he tweeted.

A few days after Biden's international trip, during which he maintained close contact with several officials in Israel and the Middle East, he tested positive for a COVID-19 test. White House officials stated before the trip that Biden would limit contact as a safeguard against the virus. However, during public appearances, Biden was photographed shaking hands and hugging officials and was spotted without a mask during discussions indoors.

Biden Will Continue Working Despite Illness

President Biden had most recently had testing for COVID-19 on Tuesday, and the result was negative, according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, before the test on Thursday. She said that the POTUS will continue to "work in isolation until he tests negative," and the White House will release daily updates on Biden's health status, as per a report from CBS News.

According to her spokesperson Michael LaRosa, first lady Dr. Jill Biden tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday morning in Delaware. The first lady also told reporters in Detroit on Thursday that she tested negative.

Dr. Jill Biden said: "I talked to him just a few minutes ago. He's doing fine. He's feeling good."

Biden's physician Kevin O'Connor claimed in a letter that during a routine screening, Biden had a positive antigen test. A more accurate PCR test later verified the results, per NBC News. He claimed that on Wednesday night, Biden first developed a dry cough.

Biden's Old Age Puts Him at Higher Risk for Severe COVID-19

Before his inauguration in January 2021, Biden took the first two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, his first booster shot in September, and his second booster shot on March 30.

Despite the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's claim that older persons who receive a full vaccination schedule and booster shots considerably lessen their risk of hospitalization and death, Biden's age puts him at a higher risk for a more severe case of COVID-19, per CNN.

Originally, Biden was supposed to fly to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Thursday for a lecture on preventing crime, then proceed to Philadelphia for a fundraiser for the DNC. He was also supposed to visit Orlando and Tampa in Florida on Monday.

According to a White House official, vice president Kamala Harris, who contracted COVID-19 earlier this year and is currently in North Carolina, will wear a mask on the recommendation of the White House medical staff. She had a COVID-19 test on Thursday morning and was last seen with Mr. Biden on Tuesday, per the report. On Thursday, Biden and Harris also had a phone conversation.

Tags

Joe Biden, POTUS, United States, Health, White House