Doubly vaccinated, the American president tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday and has “very mild symptoms”, he said on Twitter, specifying “to be fine”. The 79-year-old Democrat “started taking paxlovid”, Pfizer’s antiviral treatment.
“My friends, I’m very well”: with the relaxed tone that is his trademark, US President Joe Biden gave his news on Twitter on Thursday, July 21, after having tested positive for Covid-19 at the age of 79.
The White House has done everything to reassure about the state of health and the ability to govern of the oldest president ever elected in the United States, with two personalized messages on Twitter, a long press conference by spokesperson Karine Jean- Pierre and a statement from the Chief Executive’s personal physician.
“I am double vaccinated, with two booster doses, the symptoms are mild,” said the Democrat in a video of about twenty seconds, showing him on the balcony of the White House in a dark suit, sky blue shirt and without tie.
“I’m fine, I work hard and I will continue to do so. And in the meantime, thank you for worrying about me and keep the faith. Everything will be fine,” he concluded with a slight smile. . The president “will continue to perform his full duties” from his private apartments, the White House insisted.
Treated with paxlovid
His doctor Kevin O’Connor said in a statement that the president first had a positive result on Thursday after an antigen test, then confirmed by a PCR test.
Examined and questioned by his doctor, the president reported a few symptoms: a “running nose”, “fatigue”, “an occasional dry cough” and a restless night. His oxygen levels on Wednesday were “normal”, said Ashish Jha, who coordinates the US executive’s response to Covid-19.
Analyzes are underway to determine which variant infected the president, added Ashish Jha, adding that they would take a few days.
The Democrat, who had never tested positive, “started taking paxlovid”, Pfizer’s anti-Covid pill, and will isolate himself at the White House until he tests negative again, indicated Karine Jean-Pierre.
The White House, which has promised to provide a daily update on his health, was busy defining contact cases around the chief executive. President Jill Biden’s wife said she had tested negative, as did Vice President Kamala Harris.
This positive test comes after a few busy weeks for the president, including two major trips abroad, including a tour last week in the Middle East.
130,000 new daily cases
Joe Biden, elected in part on the promise to deal with the deadly Covid-19 epidemic, has always highlighted his respect for the instructions for distancing and wearing a mask. He also summoned the press to receive his vaccine doses, hoping to encourage his fellow citizens to do the same.
An attitude at odds with his predecessor, the Republican Donald Trump. The Republican announced on October 2, 2020 on Twitter that he had tested positive for Covid-19. He had been evacuated by helicopter to the Walter Reed military hospital and had been treated there for three nights, without the White House shed any light on the seriousness of his condition.
The United States is currently seeing about 130,000 new Covid-19 cases per day, an underestimated figure according to experts, and the number of hospitalizations is also on the rise. The highly contagious BA.5 subvariant of Omicron accounts for approximately 80% of cases.