President Joe Biden remains Covid-positive and now has developed a “loose cough” as he experiences a rebound case of the virus, according to his doctor’s statement on Monday.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor reported in a memo that the President, who first tested positive for his rebound case on Saturday and has continued to test positive daily since then, does not have a fever and his lungs are “clear.”
“His temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation remain completely normal,” O’Connor stated, noting that Biden is in good spirits.
At 79 years old, Biden faces an increased risk for a more severe Covid-19 case due to his age. However, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes that older adults who are fully vaccinated and boosted have significantly reduced risks of hospitalization and death. Biden has received two booster shots in addition to being fully vaccinated.
During a briefing with reporters on Monday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre suggested that the President might be experiencing lingering symptoms from his initial Covid-19 infection. She noted, “As you know, some of you have had Covid … those symptoms that you have don’t go away right away, they kind of linger, those minimal symptoms kind of linger for some time. So you can expect that.”
Biden had mild symptoms during his first bout of Covid-19, including a runny nose, fatigue, high temperature, and a cough, as reported by his doctor.
Regarding treatment, Biden started a five-day course of the antiviral drug Paxlovid after his first positive test on July 21. Paxlovid is available under emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration for treating mild to moderate Covid-19 in individuals aged 12 and older who are at high risk of severe illness.
The CDC has advised healthcare providers that Covid-19 symptoms may sometimes return, which could be part of the infection’s natural course in some individuals, regardless of vaccination status or treatment with medications like Paxlovid. The agency noted that most cases of rebound involve mild disease and there have been no reports of serious illness.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also experienced a rebound case of Covid-19. His symptoms worsened upon returning and he required another course of Paxlovid treatment prescribed by his doctors.
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