US

Jill Biden tests positive for COVID

US First Lady Jill Biden has tested positive for COVID, the White House has said.

The 71-year-old had tested negative on Monday during a regular testing session, but developed cold-like symptoms that evening.

She tested negative on a rapid antigen test before a PCR test came back positive.

Spokesperson Elizabeth Alexander said that, like husband Joe Biden, the first lady has had two vaccinations and two booster jabs against the disease.

She is experiencing mild symptoms and has been prescribed the antiviral drug Paxlovid.

Mr and Mrs Biden are on holiday in South Carolina. She will isolate there for at least five days, the White House said, and will return home after two consecutive negative tests.

Mr Biden caught the virus last month, but experienced a rebound case days after testing negative, which required a second period of self-isolation.

More on Covid-19

The president was also given Paxlovid, which can reduce hospitalisation and death among patients by 90% if administered within five days of symptoms appearing.

But it is also associated with a higher incidence of rebound infections, where patients test positive again days after the drug has helped them clear the initial infection.

Mr Biden tested negative on Tuesday, the White House said, but will wear a face mask indoors for 10 days, in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

He has returned to work.

Articles You May Like

Digital health companies got pummeled by Wall Street in 2024 as industry adapts to post-Covid slowdown
One of Texas’ dirtiest coal plants will swap to solar with help from US grant
MIT Researchers Measure Quantum Geometry of Electrons in Solid Materials for First Time
Tracing the Origins of Oaks: How Climate and Tectonic Changes Shaped Modern Trees
What Google’s quantum computing breakthrough Willow means for the future of bitcoin and other cryptos