President Joe Biden has again tested positive for COVID-19.
According to a letter from presidential physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor posted by the White House, Biden tested positive on Saturday morning.
Biden, 79, had tested positive for COVID-19 on July 21. He was treated with the drug Paxlovid.
The letter said Biden tested negative on Tuesday through Friday in his daily tests.
The letter framed Biden’s case as a “rebound” COVID-19 positivity that O’Connor wrote is “observed in a small percentage of patients treated with Paxlovid.”
Biden has COVID again. Time to retweet this… https://t.co/X99NLPdJny
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) July 30, 2022
Biden “has experienced no reemergence of symptoms, and continues to feel quite well,” the letter said, and will not have any treatments in response to the new test.
Axios noted that Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told Bloomberg in May treatment with Paxlovid should resume after a rebound infection.
Does Joe Biden’s diagnosis come as a surprise?
The Food and Drug Administration, however, said there is no proof that a second round of treatment will help.
“However, given his positive antigen test, he will reinitiate strict isolation procedures,” O’Connor said.
Biden had been in isolation after his previous positive test until Wednesday, when he made an appearance in the Rose Garden, according to CNN.
He also attended an economic roundtable on Thursday, according to Fox News.
Folks, today I tested positive for COVID again.
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 Biden (@POTUS) July 30, 2022
Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center, said Biden’s actions contradict his policies.
“Not a good look for a president who talks about mandates. He has played too loose with this,” Siegel said, according to Fox News.
O’Connor said Biden is making sure no one around him gets COVID-19.
“As I’ve stated previously, the President continues to be very specifically conscientious to protect any of the Executive Residence, White House, Secret Service and other staff whose duties require any (albeit socially distanced) proximity to him,” O’Connor wrote.
