President Biden has COVID-19 again.
He tested positive Saturday after testing negative earlier in the week, the White House said.
Mr. Biden, 79, who emerged from five days of self-quarantine after testing negative for the virus on Tuesday evening, “has experienced no reemergence of symptoms and continues to feel quite well,” the president’s doctor, Kevin O’Connor, said in a memorandum announcing the new positive test.
“This being the case, there is no reason to reinitiate treatment at this time, but we will obviously continue close observation,” Dr. O’Connor wrote.
Mr. Biden will “reinstate strict isolation procedures” given his positive test, despite experiencing no symptoms, Dr. O’Connor said.
The White House also announced that the president will no longer travel to Michigan on Tuesday, where he intended to deliver remarks on Congress’ recent passage of its $280 billion technology spending bill, given the positive test.
The president’s positive antigen test late Saturday morning follows four back-to-back negative tests beginning Tuesday evening.
Dr. O’Connor said Saturday’s test results represent “‘rebound positivity,’” which he said can occur in “a small percentage of patients treated with Paxlovid.”
Mr. Biden, who is fully vaccinated and twice boosted, first tested positive on a rapid antigen test more than one week ago. The result was confirmed by a more sensitive PCR test
He said on Wednesday after emerging from isolation that his symptoms remained mild and that his recovery was quick.
“It’s a real statement on where we are in the fight against COVID-19,” Mr. Biden said at a Rose Garden event to celebrate his beating the disease. “COVID isn’t gone, but even with cases climbing in this country, COVID deaths are down nearly 90% [from] when I took office.”
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
