President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID again on Saturday, just over one week after he originally tested positive.
Biden first tested positive for the virus on July 21 and isolated at the White House. He had “very mild symptoms” and was prescribed Paxlovid by White House Dr. Kevin O’Connor.
After testing negative for several days this week, Biden’s latest positive test is known as a “rebound” positivity, O’Connor wrote in a physician’s note sent Saturday to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. It happens in a small number of COVID patients who take Paxlovid, according to O’Connor. (RELATED: CNN’s John Berman Presses White House Official: ‘Why Can’t We Check In’ With Biden’s Doctor?)
“As described last week, acknowledging the potential for so-called ‘rebound’ COVID positivity observed in a small percentage of patients treated with PAXLOVID, the President increased his testing cadence, both to protect people around him and to assure early detection of any return of viral replication,” O’Connor wrote.
Biden’s doctor says the president tested positive for COVID again (after testing negative for several days in a row): pic.twitter.com/jXhM3uUMIV
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) July 30, 2022
“After testing negative on Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning, Thursday morning and Friday morning, the President tested positive late Saturday morning, by antigen testing,” O’Connor continued. “This in fact represents ‘rebound’ positivity.” (RELATED: Kamala Harris Tests Positive For COVID-19)
Biden is currently experiencing no symptoms, according to the White House physician. Despite this, he will go back into isolation and be under “close observation.” The president tweeted Saturday afternoon about his second positive case and noted that “this happens with a small minority of folks.”
“I’ve got no symptoms but I am going to isolate for the safety of everyone around me. I’m still at work, and will be back on the road soon,” Biden wrote.
In June, Dr. Anthony Fauci also experienced “rebound” COVID after originally testing positive and taking Paxlovid,” CNN reported at the time.