Washington, July 21 (BNA): President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday and is experiencing “very mild symptoms,” underlining the persistence of the highly contagious virus as new variables challenge the nation’s efforts to resume normal life two and a year later. Half years of epidemic turmoil.
White House press secretary Karen Jean-Pierre said Biden has started taking Paxlovid, an antiviral drug designed to reduce the severity of the disease, according to the Associated Press.
She said Biden is experiencing “very mild symptoms” and “will be isolated in the White House while continuing to fully perform all of his duties.” She said Biden has been in contact with members of White House staff by phone and will participate in his planned White House meetings “by phone and zoom from home.”
Biden, 79, was fully vaccinated after getting two doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine shortly before taking office, the first booster dose in September and an extra dose on March 30.
Jean-Pierre said Biden’s last test was negative on Tuesday, and he will remain isolated until a negative result comes back again. Biden had planned to visit Pennsylvania on Thursday to talk about his crime prevention plans and attend a Democratic Party fundraiser, then spend a long weekend in Delaware. Those events have been cancelled.
First Lady Jill Biden spoke to reporters as she arrived at a school in Detroit on Thursday, telling them she had just hung up the phone with her husband.
She said, “He’s fine.” “It feels good.”
The first lady, who was wearing a mask, said she came back negative earlier in the day.
So far, Biden’s ability to evade the virus appears to be defying the odds, even with testing procedures in place for those he expects to come into close contact with. Previous waves of the virus swept through Washington’s political class, infecting Vice President Kamala Harris, cabinet members, White House staff and lawmakers. Biden has increasingly ramped up his travel schedule and has resumed holding large indoor events where not everyone is being tested.
Top White House officials in recent months have been realistic about the president’s possible infection with COVID, a measure of how far the virus has penetrated society — and its diminished threat to those who see their vaccines. and get treatments.
When taken within five days of onset of symptoms, Pfizer’s drug baxlovid has been shown to result in a 90% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths among patients most at risk of developing severe disease.
In an April 30 address to more than 2,600 attendees at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, Biden acknowledged the risks of attending big events, but said attendance was worth it.
“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.”
Biden is not the first world leader – and not the first US president – to contract the coronavirus, which has infected British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron and more than a dozen other leaders and high-ranking officials globally.
When Biden’s predecessor, President Donald Trump, fell ill in October 2020, it was a very different time. Vaccines were not available and treatment options were limited and less advanced. After being diagnosed with COVID-19 at the White House, Trump received an experimental treatment with antibodies and steroids after his blood oxygen levels fell dangerously low. He was hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for three days
While much of the world has resumed normal rhythms after early lockdowns to control the sudden rise in cases and deaths, the virus remains a disruption in daily life as people are forced to change plans and isolate and account for the risks involved in engaging in various activities.
After more than two years and more than a million deaths in the United States, the virus still kills an average of 353 people a day in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the Public Health Agency, the unvaccinated are at a much higher risk, more than twice as likely to contract the virus, and nine times more likely to die from the virus than those who received at least an initial dose of vaccines.
The White House has faced a flurry of questions about the COVID-19 protocols surrounding the president. The spring outbreak in Washington came weeks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed face covering guidelines in much of the United States
As the virus approaches Biden, then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden believed travel and continuing to host major events “are of vital importance to him, his presidency, and the American people.”
“Just like many Americans, he’s making risk assessments,” she added of Biden.
The highly transmissible Omicron variant is the dominant strain in the United States, but scientists say it poses a lower risk of serious illness for those who are familiar with their vaccines. The BA.5 substrain, which is thought to be more contagious, now accounts for more than 65% of cases in the United States.
“There are a lot of infections across America,” White House coordinator on COVID-19 Dr Ashish Jha said on May 18, blaming highly contagious variables, as well as loosening mitigation measures such as mask requirements.
The coronavirus pandemic has helped put Biden in the White House, as he has vowed to deal with COVID-19 better than his predecessor. After its first months of success in increasing the nation’s supply and availability of vaccines, the virus became a quagmire for a Democrat in the first year of his presidency, as he struggled to increase the nation’s vaccination rate and stay ahead of an unpredictable disease.
With cases dropping sharply earlier this year, Biden once again highlighted his administration’s efforts to end the pandemic and help the nation restore a sense of normalcy.
In his State of the Union address on March 1, Biden said it was safe for most Americans to resume normal activities before the pandemic spread, noting low case rates and newly developed vaccinations and treatments.
“Tonight, I can say we are moving forward safely, back to more of a normal routine,” he said. “It’s time for Americans to get back to work and fill our great cities again.”
However, in recent weeks, US officials have again called on the public to be vigilant about the BA.5 variant, imploring the public to seek booster shots if they qualify and for most Americans to consider whether they should wear a face mask in public indoor settings.
“We shouldn’t let it disrupt our lives, but we can’t deny that it’s a reality we have to deal with,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease expert said on July 12.
The White House has sought to bypass public health guidelines to protect the president, with all visitors and staff required to certify their vaccination status or undergo daily tests. In addition, people expected to be near Biden are being tested daily.
However, Biden has shown an increased willingness to participate in larger indoor events in recent months – the most risky activities for the virus – and many people are not wearing masks. White House officials say Biden was intent on demonstrating that he could fulfill his presidential responsibilities without fear of the virus, believing he was well protected from dangerous outcomes.
“His doctors are relieved that he can continue to perform his duties because of all these steps, precautions and protections he has taken,” Psaki said on April 8.
Studies have shown that the most commonly used vaccines in the United States protect against severe illness and hospitalization, but new cases have emerged even among those who have been fully vaccinated.