President Biden has taken a COVID-19 test, the White House showed last week, raising a number of questions about his fitness and fitness as pressure mounted on the president ahead of his Sunday resolution to end his reelection campaign.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president was vaccinated and boosted and had mild symptoms.
“He will return to Delaware, where he will isolate and continue to perform all his duties during this period,” he said after his diagnosis was announced Wednesday (July 17). “The White House will provide regular updates on the president’s prestige as he continues to perform all the duties of his office while isolated.
On Tuesday, July 23, Biden ended his isolation and returned to Washington, D. C. after a negative test. The president will continue to be monitored for any recurrence of the disease until his symptoms subside, his doctor said in an update.
Vice President Kamala Harris said Monday that the president “is feeling much better and recovering quickly,” as she spoke at the White House to honor NCAA championship teams while the president stayed at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The brief update on her fitness among her first comments since Biden withdrew from the 2024 race and endorsed her for the Democratic nomination.
An update from the president’s doctor, released Monday through the White House, said Biden’s symptoms were “all but gone,” adding that his pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remained normal.
“His oxygen saturation remains on ambient air. His lungs remain clear,” the update continues.
Biden’s doctor said in a letter on Sunday: “The President continues to tolerate the medication without any difficulty and will continue PAXLOVID as planned. He continues to perform all of his presidential duties. “
In a Friday update, Biden said the president’s main symptoms, such as hoarseness and coughing, “have improved significantly. “The day before, his doctor had said that the president did not have a fever and that his significant symptoms remained normal.
In an earlier memo distributed through the White House, Biden’s doctor said the president had mild respiratory symptoms Wednesday afternoon, adding a runny nose and “non-productive cough. “The doctor at the time said Biden’s breathing rate, temperature and pulse oximetry were normal.
Biden “feels good” in his first visit to Nevada on July 17, but took a COVID test after not feeling better, the note added.
The president told reporters before leaving Las Vegas: “I feel good. ” In a social media post, Biden thanked others for their well-wishes and said he “will continue to work to do the job for the American people” in his recovery.
On Monday, the president finished his dose of Paxlovid, a drug used to treat COVID.
The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and PreventionThe U. S. Department of Health recommends that people with a respiratory virus stay home and away from others if they develop symptoms. The firm said patients can return to their general activities when they have symptoms and have not had a fever for at least 24 hours.
An update from the president’s doctor, released Saturday through the White House, says genomic sequencing has decided Biden was infected with the KP 2. 3 variant.
According to the CDC, the KP 2. 3 variant lately accounts for about one-third of new infections in the United States.
The CDC projected Friday that the KP. 3 and KP. 3. 1. 1 strains combined now account for more than a share of infections nationwide. Behind them are the KP. 2 and LB. 1 variants (two close relatives of the JN. 1 strain that dominated infections last winter) and which represent just over 30% of infections.
CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook told CBS News’ John Dickerson on Wednesday night that he was “very interested” in Biden winning at Paxlovid.
“He took a blood thinner called apixaban, which is Eliquis,” LaPook said. “And Eliquis has an interaction with Paxlovid, so you have to be very careful when combining the two. Paxlovid can increase Eliquis’ level. “
In addition to the possible physical complications, the diagnosis is already causing a sensation in the campaign.
Weijia Jiang, CBS News’ senior White House correspondent, reported Wednesday that the diagnosis marks “a progression at a time when the president is already dealing with a lot of political things. “
“He has a grueling schedule and now he has to focus on his recovery from COVID,” Jiang said.
Several senior Biden administration officials have also been tested for COVID-19 in recent weeks, including Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
On Thursday, Dr. Jill Biden’s press secretary, Vanessa Valdivia, said in a statement that “the First Lady is being examined as she deems appropriate by her doctor. She has no symptoms and is up to date on her vaccinations. Lately he is in Rehoboth. “
The country is experiencing a summer COVID surge, and the CDC reported last week that more than a portion of states are seeing “high” or “very high” levels of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. COVID-19 matrix in wastewater. rehearsal.
Editor’s note: An earlier edition of the article incorrectly stated that the first child, Jill Biden, had been tested for COVID-19 and was asymptomatic.
—Melissa Quinn and Alex Tin contributed to this report.