President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid late Saturday morning, by antigen testing, after testing negative several days in a row, his doctor said in a letter.
“After testing negative on Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning, Thursday morning and Friday morning, the President tested positive late Saturday morning, by antigen testing. This in fact represents ‘rebound’ positivity,” wrote White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor.
Biden, 79, has not experienced any re-emergence of symptoms and continues to feel well, O’Connor said. “This being the case, there is no reason to reinitiate treatment at this time, but we will obviously continue close observation.”
July 30, 202211:20
He will, however, return to strict isolation procedures, the doctor added.
“Folks, today I tested positive for COVID again. This happens with a small minority of folks,” the president tweeted Saturday. “I’ve got no symptoms but I am going to isolate for the safety of everyone around me. I’m still at work, and will be back on the road soon.”
Biden, who is fully vaccinated and twice boosted, tested positive for Covid on July 21 during a routine test, and was treated with the antiviral Paxlovid.
He left isolation Wednesday after five days. At the time, O’Connor said his symptoms had almost completely resolved.
Paxlovid is given to people with mild to moderate symptoms and whose ages or immune systems put them at high risk. The treatment consists of three pills taken twice daily for five days.
An estimated 5% of people have Covid symptoms rebound or test positive again after they stop taking Paxlovid, according to White House Covid response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, who had Covid in June, also tested positive days after finishing his treatment.
The president is the most high profile of a number of Washington officials who have tested positive for the coronavirus this year, including Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump also had the virus and was hospitalized for three days.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
