麻豆传媒

WASHINGTON -- President Biden has tested positive for COVID, the White House said Thursday.

"This morning, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre . "He is fully vaccinated and twice boosted and experiencing very mild symptoms. He has begun taking Paxlovid."

Consistent with CDC guidelines, the president "will isolate at the White House and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time," she continued. "He has been in contact with members of the White House staff by phone this morning, and will participate in his planned meetings at the White House this morning via phone and Zoom from the residence."

In keeping with White House protocol for positive COVID cases, which Jean-Pierre noted "goes above and beyond CDC guidance," Biden, 79, "will continue to work in isolation until he tests negative," she said. "Once he tests negative, he will return to in-person work."

The White House will provide daily updates on Biden's condition, she added. Under the standard White House protocol, "the White House Medical Unit will inform all close contacts of the President during the day today," including the press as well as members of Congress. Biden last tested negative for COVID on Tuesday.

As to the president's overall physical condition, the report on his , in November 2021, revealed that he has atrial fibrillation (Afib), which has remained stable with medication, as well as acid reflux -- "possibly worsened by a mild hiatal hernia" -- hyperlipidemia, spinal arthritis, mild peripheral neuropathy in his feet, and seasonal allergies. He currently takes apixaban (Eliquis) for his Afib, rosuvastatin for his hyperlipidemia, fluticasone/azelastine (Dymista) nasal spray for his allergies, and the over-the-counter medications fexofenadine for allergies and famotidine for acid reflux.

"President Biden remains a healthy, vigorous ... male who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency," wrote Kevin O'Connor, DO, the president's physician, in the report summary.

Biden "joins a growing number of people in the White House who have contracted the virus, including Vice President Harris, who tested positive in April," , adding that Biden is the second sitting president to contract COVID-19 as former president Donald Trump tested positive for the virus in October 2020, before COVID-19 vaccines were available. "He was hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for 3 days to receive treatment, and reports since have shown he was sicker than he let on at the time," the story said.

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