Joe Biden, the oldest person ever to serve as president of the United States, has tested positive for Covid-19, is experiencing mild symptoms and will continue working but in isolation, the White House said on Thursday.
Biden, 79, has a runny nose, fatigue and an occasional dry cough, symptoms which he began to experience late on Wednesday, White House physician Kevin O'Connor said in a note released on Thursday. Biden has begun taking the antiviral treatment Paxlovid, O'Connor said.
Fully vaccinated and twice boosted, Biden said he was "doing well" in a video posted on his Twitter account. In the 21-second clip, he also said he was "getting a lot of work done" and would continue with his duties.
White House Covid coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said Biden's oxygen levels were normal and the president would isolate for five days and return to public events once he had a negative Covid test.
Vice President Kamala Harris was in close contact with Biden on Tuesday, a White House official said. Biden's chief of staff, Ron Klain, told MSNBC he was as well, but he said that so far no one linked to the president's case had tested positive.
