Joe Biden Tests Positive for Covid-19, Cancels Las Vegas Campaign Speech
President Joe Biden has tested positive for Covid-19 and is experiencing “mild symptoms,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced on Wednesday.
“Earlier today following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms,” said Jean-Pierre. “He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. The White House will provide regular updates on the President’s status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation.”
The Press Secretary’s statement also included a message from the president’s doctor, who said Biden will be “self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals” at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and has received his first dose of Paxlovid. The doctor’s note read: “The President presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general mailaise. He felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point of care testing for COVID-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus.”
The news arrives after the president was slated to speak at the organization’s annual conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Wednesday. In May, Biden received an endorsement from Unidos, a major national civil rights organization for the Latino community. “Regrettably, I was just on the phone with President Biden, and he shared his deep disappointment at not being able to join us this afternoon,” UnidosUS President Janet Murguia announced at the event. “He said to tell my folks that we’re not going to get rid of him that quickly.”
Earlier in the week, Biden addressed the national convention of the NAACP, which is also in Las Vegas.
On Monday, the president gave his first sit-down interview since the assassination attempt against Republican opponent Donald Trump. When speaking to NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt, Biden responded to the Trump rally shooting, the presidential election, and was adamant that he has no intention of pulling out of the race.
When asked about ongoing calls from inside the Democratic Party demanding for him to step down, Biden said, “The job’s not finished.” He added, “Look, 14 million people voted for me to be the nominee in the Democratic Party, OK? I listen to them.”