President Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, marking the third time in the past two years that the president has tested positive for the virus.
The White House said Wednesday that Biden was “experiencing mild symptoms” and would return to Delaware to isolate and “fully perform all of his duties during this time.” He received the first dose of Paxlovid, an antiviral therapy produced by Pfizer.
In the early afternoon, Biden developed upper respiratory symptoms, including a runny nose and a nonproductive cough, his doctor said in a statement.
“He felt well for the first event of the day, but as he was not feeling better, tests for COVID-19 were carried out at the point of care and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus,” the doctor added. The White House noted that Biden is vaccinated and boosted.
Biden, 81, first tested positive for COVID in July 2022, after which he isolated himself at the White House and began taking Paxlovid.
After completing a five-day course of antiviral medication and experiencing only mild symptoms, Biden emerged from isolation only to test positive with a “rebound” case of COVID-19, which lasted a week until August 15.
Biden was scheduled to speak Wednesday at a conference in Las Vegas, but UnidosUS President Janet Murguía announced on stage that the president had tested positive and would not speak further.
Biden’s doctor said confirmatory PCR testing is pending. His symptoms remain mild, his respiratory rate is normal at 16, his temperature is normal at 97.8 and his pulse oximetry is normal at 97 percent, the doctor said.
Biden was seen boarding Air Force One, without a mask, and told reporters he felt “fine.”
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