President Joe Biden Tests Positive for Covid-19 During Las Vegas Visit

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid-19 while attending a series of events in Las Vegas, according to an announcement from the White House. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed Biden's positive test, which occurred "following his first event in Las Vegas."

In her statement, Jean-Pierre assured the public that the President is vaccinated and boosted, experiencing only mild symptoms. "He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms,” Jean-Pierre said. “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.”

This Covid diagnosis came as President Biden was already scheduled to travel to Delaware after his Las Vegas trip.

Biden's doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, reported that the President experienced upper respiratory symptoms, which led to the Covid test. Dr. O’Connor's statement, released by the White House, detailed that Biden's symptoms included a runny nose, a nonproductive cough, and "general malaise." The statement clarified that the President does not have a fever, and his respiratory rate is normal. Biden has also taken his first dose of Paxlovid, a medication known for reducing the risk of hospitalization or death associated with Covid-19.

Upon his arrival at the Las Vegas-area airport, Biden responded to questions about his health, saying, “Good, I feel good.” As he was en route to Delaware, Biden tweeted, "I'm sick." This was followed by another tweet two minutes later expressing his frustration with Elon Musk and his associates, linking it to a donation page for his re-election campaign. This statement came after Musk endorsed former President Donald Trump following an assassination attempt on Trump earlier that week.

Biden, who is 81 years old, has maintained a busy schedule in Nevada despite concerns raised about his health and capabilities after a less-than-stellar debate performance in late June. Both Biden and Trump, aged 78, have previously contracted Covid-19. Biden last tested positive in 2022, while Trump tested positive in 2020.

The news of Biden’s positive Covid test was disclosed at a conference where he was slated to speak on Wednesday. Janet Murguía, president of UnidosUS, the largest Latino advocacy organization in the U.S., conveyed Biden's disappointment at not being able to attend the event. “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. The president has been at many events, as we all know, and he just tested positive for Covid," Murguía announced. Biden's absence was noted about an hour and a half after his scheduled speaking time.

Top campaign officials Jen O'Malley Dillon and Julie Chavez Rodriguez communicated the President's Covid status to campaign staff members in a 6:40 p.m. ET email. "The president is doing fine and looking forward to being back on the campaign trail as soon as he is COVID free," the email stated.

In a recent interview with BET, Biden mentioned that he would consider dropping out of the presidential race if a medical condition impeded his ability to run.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised their guidelines in March, indicating that individuals testing positive for Covid no longer need to isolate for five days. Instead, the CDC now recommends that those who test positive stay home and avoid others until symptoms improve and there is no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. The CDC also advises continuing mask use and maintaining distance from others for five days after resuming normal activities.

Despite testing positive, Biden was seen walking to Air Force One without a mask, and staff members boarding with him were also not wearing masks. The situation highlights ongoing challenges and public health considerations as leaders navigate their responsibilities amidst the pandemic.