President Biden has been tested for COVID-19, the White House showed last week, raising a number of questions about his fitness as pressure on the president intensified ahead of his decision on Sunday to end his re-election campaign.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president was vaccinated and received boosters and had mild symptoms.
“He will return to Delaware, where he will isolate himself and this time continue to fully perform all his duties,” he said following the announcement of his diagnosis on Wednesday, July 17. “The White House will provide normal updates on the president’s standing as he continues to perform all functions of his job while in isolation.
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 disappear, 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 remained at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The brief update on her fitness was one of her first statements 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.
“Its oxygen saturation is still in the ambient air. His lungs remain clear,” the update continues.
Biden’s doctor said in a letter Sunday, “The President continues to tolerate the remedy without any difficulty and will continue with PAXLOVID as planned. “He continues to exercise all his presidential functions. “
In an update Friday, Biden said the president’s major symptoms, such as hoarseness and cough, “have improved significantly. ” The day before, his doctor had said that the president did not have a fever and that his major symptoms remained normal.
In an earlier memo distributed through the White House, Biden said the president showed mild upper respiratory symptoms Wednesday afternoon, adding a runny nose and “non-productive cough. ” normal.
Biden “felt fine” his first time in Nevada on July 17, but took a COVID test after not feeling better, the memo added.
The president told reporters before leaving Las Vegas: “I feel smart. ” In a social media post, Biden thanked others for their well-wishes and said he will “continue to work to get work done for the American people” as he recovers. .
On Monday, the president finished his dose of Paxlovid, a drug used to treat COVID.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that other people with respiratory viruses stay home and away from others if they have 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 that Biden was infected with the KP 2. 3 variant.
According to the CDC, the KP 2. 3 variant ultimately 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 descended from the JN. 1. strain that dominated infections last winter, accounting for 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 mixing the two. Paxlovid can strengthen Eliquis’ point. “
In addition to the possible physical complications, the diagnosis is already causing a sensation in the field.
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 so much politically. “
“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 Mr. Doug Emhoff and Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.
On Thursday, Dr. Jill Biden’s press secretary, Vanessa Valdivia, said in a statement that “the First Lady is being examined as deemed appropriate by her physician. She is asymptomatic and is up to date with his vaccines. 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.