US President Joe Biden speaks on the phone from the White House. Biden says he feels «great» after testing positive for COVID-19. Joe Biden easily tolerates COVID-19
White House says US president is showing fewer symptoms and is in good spirits
US President Joe Biden “virtually” appeared at a meeting on Friday their chief economic advisers. This happened the day after the president tested positive for COVID-19. The White House called the symptoms of the US President's coronavirus disease “very mild symptoms.”
Joe Biden had a hoarse voice and occasionally coughed as he spoke at a gathering at his White House residence. During a discussion on gas price cuts, he said, “I feel a lot better than I sound.”
When Biden was asked by reporters before the president's speech, he gave a thumbs up. up.
A statement released earlier in the day by White House physician Kevin O'Connor said Biden's temperature reached 37.4 C (99.4 F) on Thursday but dropped on Friday.
” This morning his voice deepened. His pulse, blood pressure, breathing rate and indoor oxygen saturation are normal,” he said.
O'Connor added that Biden's main symptoms were a runny nose, fatigue and an occasional dry cough. He explained that the President took Tylenol and “reacted positively” to the drug.
Antiviral treatment
The President on Thursday began treatment with Paxlovid, an antiviral therapy designed to reduce the severity of COVID-19.
O'Connor noted that the President's prognosis for a full recovery was good on Friday.
“In the course of his illness, so far there has been nothing that would give me a reason to change this initial expectation,” he wrote.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Friday afternoon that Biden is recovering and “has very mild symptoms.” She said that the double vaccination and double revaccination, as well as the treatment with Paxlovid, did him good.
Jean-Pierre emphasized that Biden “still works eight-plus hours a day,” and on Friday, he held his daily presidential security briefing via video link.
The spokeswoman explained that it is not known exactly where Biden contracted the coronavirus, but said the White House has contacted 17 people who have recently been in close contact with the president, including senior staff and members of Congress. So far, none of these people have tested positive for the virus, she said, and they are all wearing masks in accordance with CDC guidelines.
“Very good mood”
White House COVID coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said Biden felt good when they spoke via video link Friday, saying the president slept well and had breakfast and lunch. Jha noted that Biden was “in a very good mood” and “joked that his only regret was that his appetite hadn't changed.”
He said Biden's vital signs were all within normal limits. but admitted that the President used the inhaler several times after testing positive. Biden had asthma when he was younger and has an albuterol inhaler “which he uses as needed,” added Kevin O'Connor.
Jah said officials should know in the coming days whether Biden has contracted the highly contagious variant of the Omicron BA.5 virus that is spreading across the country.
About 100,000 new cases of the coronavirus are reported in the US every day.
Jha said Biden would remain in isolation at his White House residence instead of working in the Oval Office for at least five days and then be tested again. As soon as the president tests negative for the coronavirus, he will return to work.
Jah spoke of the coronavirus as a disease that many Americans have but should not cause too much suffering: “We have enough contagious option. People will get infected. Our priority is that when people get infected, they don't have serious consequences.”
“A highly contagious virus”
Asked if the president regrets any interaction with people in light of his diagnosis, Jha said contracting the coronavirus “is not a bad luck… It is a highly contagious virus. It's widespread.”
While Biden, 79, falls into the high-risk category for being seriously ill with the coronavirus, health officials say the vaccinations and boosters he received drastically reduce the likelihood of a serious illness. course of the disease in his case.
Jha said Biden was receiving “world-class treatment” and added that all Americans have access to the same level of treatment, including vaccines and antiretrovirals. He also urged all people to remember their vaccinations.
Biden tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time on Thursday after being tested for antigen. The testimony was later confirmed by a more stringent polymerase chain reaction test.
Former President Donald Trump also contracted the disease and was hospitalized at the end of his four-year term. Vaccines were not available when Trump was infected.