President Joe Biden had said on Monday that he's “feeling better every day" as he recovering from Covid infection. He also said that the White House plans to hold a summit on Tuesday to discuss developing a new generation of vaccines that could more effectively guard against contagious variants.
According to official documents, Biden took his fifth and final dose of Paxlovid, which is intended to prevent severe symptoms from Covid-19, on Monday night.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor wrote in a new note that Biden’s Covid-19 symptoms “have now almost completely resolved," and confirmed that all of his vital signs are good.
Tuesday is Biden's fifth full day of isolation, and he plans to test for the virus on Wednesday. If he tests negative, he will return to working in person.
On 21 July, Biden had tested positive for Covid-19 and had "very mild symptoms," the White House had said. The president was likely infected by the BA.5 variant. A new note from his doctor, released on Monday, said his symptoms have “almost completely resolved."
Dr. Kevin O'Connor also wrote that his vital signs remain “absolutely normal." Biden has been taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid, and he plans to remain isolated in the White House residence.
“The moment that he turns negative, he’ll return to work," said Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House Covid-19 response coordinator, during Monday's briefing at the White House.
Biden himself shared an update on his health on Monday. After participating in a virtual meeting to talk about computer chip manufacturing, Biden said “everything's on the button" with the medical tests he's been receiving each evening.
He also said he's been sleeping better, joking that his dog had to wake him up this morning.
“My wife's not here, she usually takes him out," Biden said.
