Biden has BA.5 subvariant of COVID, symptoms improving
In this photo provided by The White House, President Joe Biden talks on the phone with his national security team from the Treaty Room in the residence of the White House in Washington, Friday, July 22, 2022. Biden’s physician says the president’s COVID-19 symptoms have improved after a full day of treatment with the anti-viral drug Paxlovid and Tylenol. (Adam Schultz/The White House via AP)
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(NewsNation) — President Joe Biden, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, has the BA.5 omicron subvariant, his doctor announced Saturday.
Biden has completed his second full day of Paxlovid, an antiviral drug designed to reduce the virus’ severity, Dr. Kevin O’Connor said in a letter.
He continued to tolerate treatment well, the doctor said, and will continue to use Paxlovid, as well as oral hydration, Tylenol, and an albuterol inhaler to treat his symptoms, which are “less troublesome” now.
“The President is responding to therapy as expected,” O’Connor said. He noted that the BA.5 variant of COVID, which Biden has, is responsible for around 75%-80% of infections in the U.S. at this time.
In recent weeks, U.S. officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, have called for the public to exercise caution over the coronavirus as the BA.5 variant emerges.
“We should not let it disrupt our lives,” Fauci said on July 12, “but we cannot deny that it is a reality that we need to deal with.”
After more than two years, the coronavirus is still killing an average of 353 people a day in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which notes that those who are unvaccinated are at far greater risk.
Biden is fully vaccinated and has gotten two booster shots. Up until this point, he had been able to avoid getting the virus, even as other world leaders and U.S. officials did.
Shortly after the White House announced his diagnosis, Biden tweeted that he was “doing great.”
“Thanks for your concern,” he said Thursday. “Keeping busy!”
The president has been working in the White House residence and will keep on isolating until he tests negative for COVID, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has said.
