According to White House outlets, outgoing U.S President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID and is suffering mild symptoms of the disease. Biden, 81, is vaccinated and boosted against the virus and has suffered its symptoms twice before, at least according to his press secretary Karine-Jean Pierre.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr. Biden visited his supporters in Las Vega, spoke at an event but cancelled a campaign speech earlier scheduled for the night. This situation comes in the wake of calls by some for him to step aside given his age and a lackluster performance during the presidential debate hosted by the CNN late June.
In her statement, Ms. Jean- Pierre reiterated that the president planned top self-isolate at his home in Delaware, while fully carrying out all of his duties during the time. His personal Doctor Mr. Kevin O’connor said that he Biden presented with upper respiratory symptoms, including a runny nose and a cough. He has since been administered with his first dose of Paxlovid. Reporters present in his trip were reportedly rushed to the City’s airport following the announcement. It is said that as he boarded Air Force One, Mr. Biden was heard saying “Good, I feel good.”
The president had a scheduled speech to give at UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights organization. However, with his speech cancelled, the Organization’s chief Janet Murguria confirmed the situation to her audience.”Thank you all so much for your patience and understanding,” she told the crowd.”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.”
The illness exacerbates calls for his withdrawal from the race for presidency, with nearly thirty democrat politicians, among them Adam Schiff recently calling for his withdrawal. According to multiple sources, Schiff, congressman from California has both privately and publicly casted his doubts on whether Biden can beat Donald Trump for the second successive election. According to him, Biden has been ” one of the most consequential presidents in the history of the United States, and could secure his legacy of leadership by allowing another Democrat to step forward.
However, Mr. Biden on the other hand has insisted that he is up to the task. In an interview with BET, released on Wednesday night, he says that he does not feel he could pass the battle with the country so divided. The incumbent president also said, for the first time, that he would consider dropping out of the race if any of his doctors said he had a “medical condition”.
