Biden's Covid symptoms 'continue to improve', doctor says
The president's "main symptoms, although less severe, now include a sore throat, runny nose, cough and body aches," said White House physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor.
President Joe Biden's Covid symptoms "continue to improve" after he completed his second full day of antiviral treatment with Paxlovide on Friday night, his doctor said in a letter on Saturday.
"His main symptoms, although less severe, now include a sore throat, rhinorrhea, cough and body aches," wrote White House physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor. "His voice remained deep. Pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remained normal." Its oxygen saturation remains excellent in room air. His lungs remained clear. "
Biden, 79, will continue to take Paxlovide as scheduled, O'Connor continued, and his symptoms will continue to be "medically supportive" with oral hydration, Tylenol and an inhaler he uses as needed, two to three times a day, for a cough.
"He is not experiencing shortness of breath. He will continue on low-dose aspirin as an alternative type of blood thinner," O'Connor said.
The president tested positive for Covid on Thursday and has been fully vaccinated and boosted twice, the White House said. First lady Jill Biden, who was at the couple's home in Wilmington, Delaware, tested negative Saturday and has no symptoms, her spokesman, Michael LaRosa, said.
O'Connor said Saturday that preliminary sequencing results show the agent causing the president is likely a subvariant of Covid known as BA.5, which is currently responsible for most coronavirus infections in the US. The information does not affect Biden's treatment plan, the doctor added.
The White House Covid response coordinator confirmed that Dr. Ashish Jha that Biden was infected with a highly contagious strain during an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation." "It's a BA.5 variant," he said, "but with our vaccines and therapeutics working well against it, I think the president is doing well."
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In an interview with ABC News' "This Week," Jha added that as of late Saturday, none of the 17 people believed to be in close contact with Biden had tested positive for Covid. "They are following CDC protocol and we will continue to follow them," he said.
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White House staffer Ron Klain, one of Biden's closest contacts, told NBC News that he tested negative for Covid on Saturday.
The president has several virtual meetings scheduled for Friday, including his daily news briefing, a meeting with his economic team to discuss gas prices and a meeting with senior staff to discuss his legislative agenda, the White House said.
During a virtual briefing on gas prices, Biden became vocal and cleared his throat repeatedly as he discussed the drop in gas prices and the steps he plans to take. “I'll start by apologizing for my voice. I feel better than I sound,” she said.
Biden's Twitter account shared a photo of the president at a meeting Friday night and wrote, “Gas prices are falling at one of the fastest rates we've seen in over a decade - we're not going to give up our job. to reduce costs.