Biden Tests Positive for Covid Again in ‘Rebound’ Case
The president tested positive on Saturday morning and will once again isolate, although his symptoms have not come back, the White House physician said.
President Biden tested positive for the coronavirus again on Saturday morning, becoming the latest example of a rebound case after taking the Paxlovid treatment that has otherwise been credited with broadly impressive results in fighting the virus and suppressing its worst effects.
“The president has experienced no re-emergence of symptoms, and continues to feel quite well,” Dr. Kevin C. O’Connor, the White House physician, said in a memo released by the press office.
“This being the case, there is no reason to reinitiate treatment at this time, but we will obviously continue close observation.”
The “‘rebound’ positivity,” as Dr. O’Connor termed it, meant that Mr. Biden was forced to resume “strict isolation procedures” in keeping with medical advice.
The White House announced that the president would no longer travel to his home in Wilmington, Del., on Sunday as planned nor make a scheduled visit to Michigan on Tuesday to promote newly passed legislation supporting the domestic semiconductor industry.
Mr. Biden played down the development. “Folks, today I tested positive for COVID again,” he wrote 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.”
The White House later posted a video of the president on the Truman Balcony with his dog Commander and he appeared well. “I’m feeling fine,” he said. “Everything’s good.”
Mr. Biden first tested positive for Covid-19 on July 21 and experienced a sore throat, runny nose, cough, body aches and fatigue.
After five days of isolation, he tested negative on Tuesday evening and returned to the Oval Office on Wednesday, declaring that his relatively mild case demonstrated how much progress had been made in fighting the virus that has killed more than one million Americans.