President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid-19 Wednesday and continues to have an “occasional cough” nearly two weeks since he first received a positive test result, White House doctor Kevin O’Connor said in a statement.
O’Connor said the president “continues to feel well,” and “remains fever-free and in good spirits. His temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation remain entirely normal. His lungs remain clear.”
Biden got his Covid-19 test after a “light workout” and remains in isolation, the letter added.
President Biden continues to feel well. An update from Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Physician to the President. pic.twitter.com/4G9vq8iKLh
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 3, 2022
Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history at 79 years old, first tested positive for Covid-19 July 21 and proceeded to take Paxlovid, an oral antiviral pill intended to help recovery from the disease.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dodged the question when asked where Biden may have gotten sick, saying, “Look, I don’t think that matters, right? I think what matters is we prepared for this moment.”
Biden tested negative for consecutive days before rebounding and testing positive again on Saturday.
“Folks, today I tested positive for COVID again. This happens with a small minority of folks. I’ve got no symptoms but I am going to isolate for the safety of everyone around me. I’m still at work, and will be back on the road soon,” Biden tweeted Saturday.
“As described last week, acknowledging the potential for so-called ‘rebound’ COVID positivity observed in a small percentage of patients treated with PAXLOVID the President increased his testing cadence, both to protect people around him and to assure early detection of any return of viral replication,” O’Connor stated in a letter.
The president had received two Covid-19 vaccinations and a booster shot before testing positive.