President Joe Biden’s Covid symptoms “continue to improve” after finishing his second full day of his treatment on the antiviral Paxlovid Friday night, his doctor said Saturday in a letter.
“His primary symptoms, though less troublesome, now include sore throat, rhinorrhea, loose cough and body aches,” White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor wrote. “His voice remains deep. His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain entirely normal. His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear.”
Biden, 79, will continue Paxlovid as planned and his symptoms will continue to be “treated supportively” with oral hydration, Tylenol, and an inhaler that he uses as needed, 2-3 times a day, for cough, O’Connor said. “He is experiencing no shortness of breath at all. He will continue low dose aspirin as an alternative type of blood thinner.”
The president tested positive for Covid on Thursday and is fully vaccinated and twice boosted, the White House said.
First lady Jill Biden, who’s at the couple’s home in Wilmington, Delaware, tested negative on Saturday and has no symptoms, said her spokesperson, Michael LaRosa.
O’Connor said Saturday that preliminary sequencing results indicate the president’s causative agent is likely the Covid subvariant known as BA.5, which is now responsible for most coronavirus infections in the U.S. This information does not affect Biden’s treatment plan, the doctor added.
The president had several virtual meetings scheduled Friday including his daily intelligence briefing, a meeting with his economic team to discuss gas prices, and a meeting with senior staff to discuss his legislative agenda, the White House said.
During the virtual briefing on gas prices, Biden sounded hoarse and cleared his throat several times when discussing the drop in gas prices and the steps he plans to take next. “Let me start by apologizing for my voice, I’m feeling much better than I sound,” he said.
Biden’s Twitter account shared a photo of the president at the meeting Friday evening, writing, “Gas prices are declining at one of the fastest rates we have seen in over a decade — we’re not letting up on our work to lower costs even further.”
Shannon Pettypiece contributed.