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President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 again, despite testing consistently negative for days, according to his doctor.
What happened
On Saturday morning, Dr. Kevin O’Connor issued a letter stating that Biden tested positive in what he believes is “a rebound COVID-19 positivity” that the doctor says is “observed in a small percentage of patients treated with Paxlovid.”
The White House states that Biden has experienced “no reemergence of symptoms, and continues to feel quite well.”
As a result, Joe Biden will not resume treatment.
Prior tests
Since contracting COVID-19, Biden has had subsequent tests to monitor his recovery.
Dr. O’Connor said the President tested negative for four consecutive days – Tuesday night through Friday morning.
On Saturday morning, Biden tested positive.
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“However, given his positive antigen test, he will reinstate strict isolation procedures,” Dr. O’Connor shared.
On Wednesday, Biden ended solitary confinement after testing negative in back-to-back antigen tests, celebrating his comeback in remarks from the White House Rose Garden.
Although there are no symptoms, Dr. O’Connor said Biden will self-isolate at the White House.
Saturday
“Folks, today I tested positive for COVID again,” wrote Biden on Twitter.
“This happens with a small minority of folks. 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.”
President Joe Biden canceled his plans to travel to Delaware on Sunday and Michigan on Tuesday to support a recently passed legislation aimed at boosting US semiconductor production.
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The White House
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre wrote that Biden was asymptomatic and is “feeling fine, and working in isolation from the Residence to protect others.”
Another White House official said efforts were being made for contact tracing on Saturday after Biden tested positive.
Last week, the President resumed events in the White House after testing negative, but continued to regularly wear a mask.
White House officials said they worked hard to ensure social distancing was maintained during public events at the White House.
First positive testing
President Joe Biden first tested positive on July 21 and experienced mild symptoms of COVID-19, including a runny nose, fatigue, high fever, and cough.
Biden, 79, completed a five-day course from Paxlovid, which requires a medical subscription.
Paxlovid is also available through the US Food and Drug Administration’s Emergency Use Authorization for the treatment of mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19.
It is used for people 12 years of age and older who are at high risk of serious illness.
During the first positive test, the White House said it had 17 close contacts, but none of them tested positive.
First Lady Jill Biden has been in Delaware since the first test result. She hasn’t returned to the White House yet.
However, Jill Biden is expected to join him on his trip to Wilmington on Sunday.
Rebound cases
On May 24, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health alert, advising doctors that symptoms could recur, noting that in some people the infection may simply run its course – whether they get vaccinated or under medication, how to treat paxlovid.
The CDC said most rebound cases involve mild illness, but no cases of serious illness have been reported.
President Joe Biden is fully vaccinated and received his boosters in late 2021.
Infectious disease experts have urged the government to investigate rebound cases more systematically.
They stressed that the phenomenon needs to be better characterized in order to understand who is most at risk and whether the standard five-day course of the drug needs to be extended.
Studies also show that people can pass the infection on to others during a rebound, just amplifying their call to understand it better.
References:
US President Joe Biden tests positive for COVID after ‘rebound’ infection
