Biden tests positive for COVID-19, has ‘very mild symptoms’

Following two and a half years of pandemic disturbances, President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday and is currently encountering “extremely slight symptoms,” according to the White House. This comes at a time when fresh strains of the immensely transmissible virus are posing challenges to the country’s endeavors to return to a state of normalcy.

According to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, she mentioned that he was self-isolating at the White House and “still fulfilling all of his responsibilities completely.” Jean-Pierre added that Biden has initiated the use of Paxlovid, an antiviral medication intended to mitigate the intensity of the illness.

Yesterday evening, Biden developed a stuffy nose and “tiredness, along with an intermittent dry cough,” as reported by Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s doctor, in a letter.

“Everyone, I’m doing fantastic. Thank you for your care,” Biden tweeted. He added that he was “staying occupied!”.

September and an extra dose on March 30, a primary supplementary injection in September, following the administration of two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine just before assuming the presidency, Biden, aged 79, has achieved complete vaccination.

Biden would engage in his scheduled meetings via phone and Zoom from his residence, Jean-Pierre stated, characterizing the president’s symptoms as “extremely slight” and noting his communication with White House staff members via phone.

Despite his busy schedule, President Biden took steps to show that the White House was working, even tweeting out a picture of himself making calls from the treaty room.

In order to boost his strategies for preventing crime, the president reached out to legislators in Pennsylvania via phone to express regret for the necessity of canceling his scheduled visit to Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. Additionally, Biden extended birthday wishes to South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn and commended him on his recognition by the NAACP.

In regards to Paxlovid, like many patients with maximum protection, I expect that he will react positively,” O’Connor expressed in his letter regarding the president’s treatment strategy.

Jean-Pierre declared that Biden had recently received a negative test result on Tuesday, and he will continue to isolate himself until he obtains another negative test outcome.

Speaking to reporters upon her arrival for a school visit in Detroit, first lady Jill Biden mentioned that she had recently concluded a phone conversation with her husband.

“He’s doing fine,” she said. “He’s feeling good.”Output: “He’s doing well,” she stated. “He’s feeling great.”

LaRosa, her representative, stated that Michael, regarding the use of masks and maintaining distance, will adhere to the advice provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday, despite maintaining her complete agenda in Michigan and Georgia. The first lady, who was wearing a mask, confirmed that she had tested negative earlier in the day.

Following contact with the virus, symptoms may manifest within a timeframe of two to 14 days, as indicated by the CDC. Despite engaging in occasional embraces, the president opted for fist bumps and handshakes, while White House officials informed reporters that Biden intended to limit physical interaction during the journey as soon as he disembarked Air Force One on July 13. Last week, a significant portion of the president’s time was spent in Israel and Saudi Arabia.

On Wednesday, the president journeyed to Massachusetts to advocate for endeavors to counteract climate change. Biden had a limited public agenda following his return from Saudi Arabia late on Saturday evening, participating in religious service the following day and aiding in the reception of Ukraine’s inaugural lady Olena Zelenska at the White House on Tuesday.

In an interview, Dr. Graham Snyder, an infectious disease specialist, stated that it was not surprising that President Biden tested positive for a contagious illness, given the extent of his interactions with people at the University of Pittsburgh. According to Dr. Snyder, it seems that President Biden should pursue treatment to enable him to recover even without facing worse health risks.

Snyder stated that he puts himself in a place where the probability of being very sick and needing intensive care or dying is the lowest, in order to have the best possible outcome, either in a hospital or in heaven.

Tested everyone is not where large indoor events holding resumed and travel schedule his up stepped increasingly has Biden. Prior to sweeping through Washington’s political class, the waves of the virus infected lawmakers, staffers at the White House, members of the Cabinet, and Vice President Kamala Harris. Those expected to be in close contact with him are required to follow testing procedures.

Harris, the official spokesperson for the White House, stated on Tuesday that she had tested negative for COVID-19. She spoke with the president on Thursday morning over the phone, and she intended to follow the guidance of the White House medical team by wearing a mask.

“Nobody is exempt from it, including the president of the United States, and we truly need to exercise caution,” stated House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, articulating her desire that Biden’s affirmative diagnosis for the illness would inspire a greater number of Americans to receive vaccinations and enhancements.

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell on Twitter wished the president “a swift recovery.”

In recent months, top White House officials have acknowledged the fact that the COVID virus has become engrained in society and poses a threat to those whose access to vaccinations and treatments may be diminished. They have also discussed the likelihood of the president getting infected.

When administered within five days of symptoms, Pfizer, the drugmaker, has proven that Paxlovid, produced by them, can reduce deaths and hospitalizations by about 90% among patients who are most likely to develop severe disease.

Biden is far from being the first world leader to contract the coronavirus, as officials ranking high globally and more than a dozen other leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, have also been infected.

Hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for a duration of three days, he received an exploratory antibody therapy and steroids subsequent to his blood oxygen levels dropping to a perilously low level. Trump was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 while residing at the White House. Vaccines were not accessible and the available treatment alternatives were restricted and less sophisticated. It was a significantly contrasting period when Biden’s forerunner, President Donald Trump, contracted the ailment in October 2020.

As per the public health organization, individuals who have obtained a minimum of a initial dosage of the vaccinations are nine times more prone to succumb to the virus compared to those who have not been vaccinated, and over twice as likely to receive a positive test result. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that, even after more than two years and a million deaths in the United States, the virus continues to claim the lives of approximately 353 individuals on a daily basis.

The variant omicron is highly transmissible and is now causing cases in the U.S. That are believed to be more than 65% higher. However, scientists say that sub-strain BA.5 of Omicron poses a lower risk of severe illness. Those who are up to date on their vaccinations also have a lower risk of severe illness.

Dr. Ashish Jha, the coordinator of COVID-19 at the White House, stated that there is a significant increase in infections across America, with relaxed mask requirements and the presence of highly-transmissible variants being blamed for this surge.

During his initial year in office, while facing challenges in increasing the vaccination rate and staying ahead of the unpredictable disease, the virus posed a complex problem for the Democrat. Following several months of successfully ramping up the nation’s vaccine supply and accessibility, the coronavirus pandemic played a role in Biden’s election as he promised to handle COVID-19 more effectively than his predecessor.

He said in his State of the Union address on March 1st that Americans are once again returning to our bustling downtowns and working hard to get back on track. President Biden highlighted his administration’s efforts to bring an end to the pandemic and emphasized the need to regain a sense of normalcy, as cases declined sharply earlier this year.