Montage: Media reacts to Biden COVID diagnosis by calling to bring masks back, hyping boosters
All the major media outlets, including MSNBC, CNN, and ABC, called for new restrictions in the wake of the president contracting COVID-19.
MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS and NBC are reacting to President Biden’s COVID-19 diagnosis with a multitude of different perspectives, with some calling for new masking restrictions and others touting coronavirus booster shots.
The White House on Thursday revealed that Biden had tested positive for the virus, but noted he was experiencing "very mild symptoms," including a dry cough, runny nose and lethargy. Vice President Kamala Harris and first lady Jill Biden have both tested negative.
"This morning, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. "He is fully vaccinated and twice boosted and experiencing very mild symptoms. He has begun taking Paxlovid. Consistent with CDC guidelines, he will isolate at the White House and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. He has been in contact with members of the White House staff by phone this morning, and will participate in his planned meetings at the White House this morning via phone and Zoom from the residence."
Jean-Pierre also said that Biden will remain isolated until he tests negative, adding that the White House would be providing daily updates on the president’s status.
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President Biden released a photo of himself in the White House after testing positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, July 21, 2022. (White House)
Dr. Alok Patel, a medical contributor for ABC News, reacted to the news by emphasizing that vaccination is the "first line of defense," and that Biden is "fortunate" he has been double-boosted.
"With how much President Biden gets tested, and the masks, and how cautious they are at the White House, he still tested positive," Patel added.
CNN White House correspondent Jeremy Diamond also said it was "notable" it had taken this long for the president to contract the virus.
Meanwhile, CBS News’ Anne-Marie Green wondered how lax protocols regarding COVID have gotten at the White House considering Biden’s style of being "personable."
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Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., tweeted photos of himself with President Biden traveling together a day before the president tested positive for COVID-19. (Office of Rep. Auchincloss)
White House correspondent Jeff Mason, who has covered Biden since he was vice president under Barack Obama, agreed that Green was correct in her assessment that Biden is a "touchy-feely" guy.
Mason pointed out that he was in Cleveland with the president a few weeks back and made note of the fact that Biden had certainly increased his potential exposure, joining in "selfie" lines and hugging and kissing other people he had met.
Amid the dismal news, MSNBC and NBC medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta asserted that the president's risk of progressing towards severe illness was very low, as many consider him to be a "super ager." When asked to clarify what a "super ager" was, Dr. Gupta explained that it was a reference to Biden’s ability to engage in exercise, such as biking, at the age of 79.
Yet, despite the optimistic news about the president, several notable figures on television Thursday urged a return to stricter mitigation strategies across the country, such as masking, in light of Biden’s diagnosis.
President Biden speaks to members of the media after exiting Air Force One on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, underscoring the persistence of the highly contagious virus as new variants challenge the nation's efforts to resume normalcy after two-and-a-half years of pandemic disruptions. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
"Public venues should require masks," Dr. Jonathan Reiner told CNN. "Anytime you’re meeting with people that you don’t know, or you don’t know have been tested — people should be wearing masks."
Dr. Reiner then reiterated his position, saying that Americans should be pushing for a "more aggressive stance" against the coronavirus and bring back masking across the U.S.
Dr. Kavita Patel, a primary care physician who joined NBC News on Thursday, also echoed Reiner’s statement, asserting that while testing helps, masking can be "critical."
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While she did not float new mask requirements in the U.S., Patel said that the White House itself should return to stricter masking protocols. She added that Biden’s decision to get a second booster may have "made all the difference" in his battle with COVID.
Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
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