President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 while campaigning in Las Vegas, the White House announced on Wednesday. The 81-year-old president is experiencing mild symptoms and will return to Delaware to self-isolate.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre wrote in an official statement,
“He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms. He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time.”
The diagnosis adds to the challenges facing the President’s re-election campaign. After a debate in which Joe Biden struggled against former President Donald Trump, some Democrats, such as Adam Schiff, have called for him to withdraw from the race. Despite this, Biden has insisted on continuing his campaign.
Even though he wasn’t feeling well, Biden kept a hectic schedule in Las Vegas. On Tuesday, he spoke at the NAACP convention and took part in a BET News interview. The following day, he was interviewed by Univision Radio before testing positive.
President Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, stated that the president’s symptoms included “a runny nose, nonproductive cough, and general malaise.” The president has started taking Paxlovid, which is an antiviral medication.
During his BET interview on Tuesday, Biden reassured the public that he would drop out of the presidential race if he were to develop a medical condition that would hinder his ability to run.
At a conference where Joe Biden was scheduled to speak, Janet Murguía, president of UnidosUS, broke the news to the attendees, saying:
“Regrettably, I was just on the phone with President Biden, and he shared his deep disappointment at not being able to join us this afternoon.”
After boarding Air Force One to return to Delaware, Biden told reporters that he was feeling good when asked about his condition. Some observers noted that he was not wearing a mask, even though CDC guidelines recommend that COVID-19-positive individuals wear a mask for five days after returning to normal activities.
Meanwhile, this is the third time President Joe Biden has contracted COVID-19. His first and second infections occurred in the year 2022.