Biden tests positive for COVID. Here are details about his diagnosis and treatment.
President Biden tested positive for COVID-19, the White House confirmed last week, prompting an array of questions about his health and condition as pressure built on the president ahead of his decision Sunday to end his campaign for reelection.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president is vaccinated and boosted and was 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," she said after his diagnosis was announced on Wednesday, July 17. "The White House will provide regular updates on the president's status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation."
On Tuesday, July 23, Mr. Biden ended his isolation and returned to Washington, D.C. after a negative rapid test. The president will continue to be monitored for any recurrence of illness but that his symptoms had resolved, his doctor shared in an update.
How is Biden feeling?
Vice President Kamala Harris said Monday the president is "feeling much better and recovering fast," while she was speaking at the White House to honor NCAA championship teams as the president remained at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The brief health update was part of her first remarks since Biden dropped out of the 2024 race and endorsed her for the Democratic nomination.
An update from the president's doctor, released by the White House on Monday, said Biden's symptoms have "almost resolved completely," adding his pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain normal.
"His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear," the update continued.
Mr. Biden's doctor said in a letter Sunday, "The President continues to tolerate treatment without any difficulty and will continue PAXLOVID as planned. He continues to perform all of his presidential duties."
In an update Friday, Mr. Biden's doctor said the president's primary symptoms of hoarseness and cough "have improved meaningfully." The day before that, his doctor said the president did not have a fever and his vital signs remained normal.
In a previous note distributed by the White House, Mr. Biden's doctor said the president had mild upper respiratory symptoms Wednesday afternoon, including a runny nose and a "non-productive cough." The doctor at the time said Mr. Biden's respiratory rate, temperature and pulse oximetry were all normal.
Mr. Biden "felt okay" for his first event in Nevada on July 17 but was tested for COVID after not feeling better, the note added.
The president told reporters before departing Las Vegas, "I feel good." In a social media post, Mr. Biden thanked people for their well wishes and said that he will "continue to work to get the job done for the American people" while recovering.
Is Biden undergoing COVID treatment?
As of Monday, the president completed his 10th dose of Paxlovid, a medication used to treat COVID.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people with a respiratory virus stay home and away from others if experiencing symptoms. The agency said patients can resume normal activities when symptoms are improving and they have not had a fever for at least 24 hours.
Do we know what COVID variant he has?
An update from the president's doctor, released by the White House on Saturday, said genomic sequencing determined that Mr. Biden was infected with the KP 2.3 variant.
According to the CDC, the KP 2.3 variant currently accounts for about one-third of new infections in the U.S.
The CDC projected Friday that the KP.3 and KP.3.1.1 strains together are now more than half of infections nationwide. Behind them are the KP.2 and LB.1 variants — two close relatives that are descendants of the JN.1 strain that dominated infections this past winter — which make up just over 30% of infections.
Could COVID cause any complications?
CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook told CBS News' John Dickerson on Wednesday evening that he was "very interested" that Mr. Biden had been given Paxlovid.
"He has been on a blood thinner called apixaban, which is Eliquis," said LaPook. "And Eliquis does have an interaction with Paxlovid, which is why you have to be very careful when you give the two together. The Paxlovid can increase the level of the Eliquis."
Aside from potential health complications, the diagnosis has already caused waves on a campaign level.
CBS News senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang reported Wednesday that the diagnosis marks "a big development at a time when the president is already dealing with so much politically."
"He has a grueling travel schedule, and now he has to focus on getting better from COVID," Jiang said.
Do others around Biden have COVID?
Several top Biden administration officials have also tested positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks, including second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
On Thursday, Dr. Jill Biden's press secretary Vanessa Valdivia said in a statement that "the First Lady is tested as determined appropriate by her doctor. She is not symptomatic and up to date with her vaccines. She is currently in Rehoboth."
The nation is experiencing a summer surge of COVID, and the CDC reported last week that more than half of states are seeing "high" or "very high" levels of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in wastewater testing.
Editor's note: A previous version of the story incorrectly stated that first lady Jill Biden had been tested for COVID-19 and was asymptomatic.
— Melissa Quinn and Alex Tin contributed to this report.
