President Joe Biden Tests Positive for COVID-19

President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, the White House announced. He is experiencing mild symptoms and has begun taking Pfizer's Paxlovid treatment.

"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," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

President Biden is fully vaccinated and received booster shots in September 2021 and March 2022.

Jean-Pierre added President Biden will isolate at the White House while continuing to work, and she will plan to "provide a daily update on the President’s status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation." He was scheduled to travel to Pennsylvania today for a speech on gun violence then to his home in Wilmington, Delaware, but that trip has been canceled.

President Biden's last appearance was yesterday in Somerset, Massachusetts, when he delivered remarks on the climate crisis and clean energy. He visited a former coal power plant, Brayton Point, that has transitioned to offshore wind manufacturing.

The White House Medical Unit has informed all close contacts of the President from the past 24 hours, including press who traveled with him to Somerset.

First lady Dr. Jill Biden has tested negative, according to her spokesperson Michael LaRosa, and will continue to undertake her scheduled events.

When Vice President Kamala Harris contracted COVID in April, then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden "has access to the best health care in the world" if he does end up getting the disease.

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