President Biden Tests Positive for Covid-19
President Joe Biden tests positive for COVID-19. The White House says he is experiencing 'very mild symptoms.'
The 79-year-old Biden is the oldest person to ever serve as president. He has been vaccinated and boosted against the virus which has claimed the lives of close to a million people in the U.S.
Experts from the Centers for Disease Control say the vaccination and booster greatly reduce the risk of hospitalizations for patients with the virus.
The White House has issued a brief statement saying that the President is experiencing “very mild symptoms,” and this release says he will be working from his private quarters at the White House. His doctors have prescribed Paxlovid which is a medication that has been approved for treating COVID-19.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says:
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 via phone and Zoom from the residence. Consistent with White House protocol for positive COVID cases, which goes above and beyond CDC guidance, he will continue to work in isolation until he tests negative. Once he tests negative, he will return to in-person work.
Back in April, Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive for COVID-19 raising concerns about this latest strain of the highly contagious virus. But at the time, neither President Joe Biden nor first lady Jill Biden were considered as close contacts and they were not required to isolate at that time.