First lady Jill Biden tests positive for COVID-19

Written by on August 16, 2022

First lady Jill Biden tests positive for COVID-19
Official White House Photo by Cameron Smith

(WASHINGTON) — First lady Jill Biden has tested positive for COVID-19, according to her office.

Jill Biden tested negative on Monday during her routine testing, and then developed “cold-like symptoms” Monday night, according to her communications director, Elizabeth Alexander.

“She tested negative again on a rapid antigen test, but a PCR test came back positive,” Alexander said in a statement.

She’s been prescribed the antiviral treatment Paxlovid, which President Joe Biden also took after testing positive last month.

President Biden first tested positive for COVID-19 on July 21, experiencing symptoms including a cough and sore throat. He isolated and completed a five-day course of Paxlovid before testing negative. He then experienced a rebound infection, testing positive again. On Aug. 6, the president’s doctor said Biden had received a negative test and was clear to break his isolation.

Jill Biden, who is double vaccinated and twice boosted, has “mild symptoms,” Alexander said.

President Biden, who has been vacationing with his wife and family in Kiawah Island, South Carolina, is considered a close contact and will mask while indoors for the next 10 days and when he’s in close contact to others, according to the White House.

The president tested negative for COVID-19 Tuesday morning, and his testing will be increased in light of the first lady testing positive.

Jill Biden will isolate for at least five days. She’ll remain “at a private residence in South Carolina and will return home after she receives two consecutive negative COVID tests,” Alexander said.

Her close contacts have been notified, Alexander added.

ABC News’ Molly Nagle contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.





Reader's opinions

Leave a Reply


Current track

Title

Artist