President Biden tests positive for COVID; experiencing mild symptoms

(NewsNation) — President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19, the White House announced Thursday morning.

Biden, 79, is fully vaccinated, twice boosted and experiencing very mild symptoms, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. A letter from Biden’s doctor, Kevin C. O’Connor, said Biden is experiencing a runny nose and fatigue with an occasional dry cough that started Wednesday evening.

He has begun taking the leading COVID-9 pill Paxlovid, an antiviral drug designed to reduce the severity of the disease, Jean-Pierre said. Paxlovid, which is produced by Pfizer, has been proven to bring about a 90% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths among patients most likely to get severe disease.

As of now, the president will isolate at the White House and continue his duties from there.

“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,” Jean-Pierre said.

Biden will continue isolating until he tests negative.

The White House plans to provide a daily update on the president’s status, and will inform close contacts of the president about his diagnosis, including members of Congress and the press.

Up to this point, Biden has been able to avoid getting the virus, even as waves of it swept through Washington’s political class, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Cabinet members, White House staffers and lawmakers. Other world leaders have gotten the coronavirus as well, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump contracted the virus in October 2020, albeit at a far different time when vaccines were not available and treatment options were limited.

Biden has increasingly demonstrated in recent months a willingness to travel and participate in larger, indoor events where people are not wearing masks, even though these are riskier activities for contracting the virus.

In an April 30 speech to more than 2,600 attendees at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, Biden acknowledged the risks of going to large events, but said it was worthwhile to attend.

“I know there are questions about whether we should gather here tonight because of COVID,” he said. “Well, we’re here to show the country that we’re getting through this pandemic.”

White House officials said Biden was intent on showing he can fulfill his presidential responsibilities without fear of the virus, believing he was well protected against severe outcomes.

“His doctors are comfortable that he could continue to carry out his duties because of all these steps and precautions and protections he’s taken,” former press secretary Jen Psaki said on April 8.

After more than two years and over a million deaths in the U.S., the virus is still killing an average of 353 people a day in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those who are unvaccinated are at far greater risk, the CDC said, and are two times more likely to test positive and nine times more likely to die from the virus than those who received at least a primary dose of the vaccine.

In recent weeks, U.S. officials have called for the public to exercise caution over the coronavirus as the BA.5 variant emerges.

“We should not let it disrupt our lives,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert said July 12, “but we cannot deny that it is a reality that we need to deal with.”

This story is developing and will be updated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.