President Joe Biden likely has BA.5 variant but Covid-19 symptoms 'continue to improve,' doctor says

KEY POINTS

• President Joe Biden likely has the BA.5 Covid-19 variant but his symptoms "continue to improve," according to the White House.
• His primary symptoms are sore throat, rhinorrhea, loose cough and body aches, said the White House physician.

President Joe Biden, who tested positive today for Covid-19 this morning, posts on Twitter "Folks, I'm doing great. Thanks for your concern. Just called Senator Casey, Congressman Cartwright, and Mayor Cognetti (and my Scranton cousins!) to send my regrets for missing our event today."

Courtesy: White House

President Joe Biden likely has the BA.5 Covid-19 variant but his symptoms "continue to improve," according to the White House.

"His primary symptoms, though less troublesome, now include sore throat, rhinorrhea, loose cough and body aches," White House physician Kevin O'Connor said in a memorandum on Saturday.

The president on Friday completed his second full day of Pfizer's Paxlovid, an antiviral pill that can reduce the risk of hospitalization for Covid-19 patients, O'Connor said.

While the president is responding to the therapy "as expected," he has likely contracted the Covid-19 BA.5 variant, which is currently responsible for 70% to 85% of U.S. infections.

Biden, who is fully vaccinated and received two booster shots, tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday and has reported "very mild symptoms."