Biden again tests positive for Covid-19, says he feels fine

This article is more than 12 months old

Jul 31, 2022 09:51 am

WASHINGTON (REUTERS) – US President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid-19 again on Saturday (July 30) in what the White House doctor described as a “rebound” seen in a small percentage of patients who take the antiviral drug Paxlovid.

Mr Biden, 79, who emerged from Covid-19 isolation on Wednesday after testing positive on July 21, said he was feeling fine.

He will now return to strict isolation and will cancel planned trips to his home in Wilmington and work trip in Michigan, the White House said.

Mr Biden held public events on Wednesday and Thursday, but none on Friday.

The forced isolation comes as the White House was hoping to celebrate some recent legislative victories to help boost Mr Biden’s slumping poll ratings.

Mr Biden had planned the Michigan trip to tout Thursday’s passage of legislation to boost the US semiconductor chips industry.

The Laws had to clean and piece together the remains of the bills that Cecil ate.

World

US couple forced to ‘launder' the money their dog ate

Jan 05, 2024

Mr Biden’s positive test is believed to be a “rebound” experienced by some Covid-19 patients who take Paxlovid, according to White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor.

Paxlovid is an antiviral medication from Pfizer that is used to treat high-risk patients, such as older ones.

A small but significant percentage of people who take Paxlovid will suffer a relapse days after the five-day treatment course has ended, studies have shown.

White House officials had previously suggested a rebound case of Covid-19 was unlikely, based on reports of cases around the country. However, Mr Biden continued to be tested and monitored.

Mr Biden tweeted about his positive case, saying it can happen to a “small minority of folks”.

He later posted a video on Twitter where he said he was “feeling fine” and “everything’s good”.

A White House official said contact tracing efforts were under way on Saturday after Mr Biden’s positive Covid-19 test.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci also experienced rebound Covid-19.

His symptoms got worse when they returned after treatment, and his doctors prescribed another course of Paxlovid.

'I'm feeling great' - Biden tests negative after Covid-19

Dr O’Connor said Mr Biden had tested negative for four days, and there was no plan to reinitiate treatment given his lack of symptoms.

Mr Biden previously described his experience with Covid-19 as mild, saying he was able to continue working while in isolation and attributed his relative ease with the disease to vaccines and other treatments.