Biden COVID symptoms 'have improved,' but he had a fever: White House physician

The White House physician said Friday that President Biden’s COVID-19 symptoms "have improved" but shared that he had a fever Thursday night.

Biden first tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday.

The president’s physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor said the president "completed his first full day of Paxlovid last night."

"His symptoms have improved," O’Connor said, noting that the president "did mount a temperature yesterday evening to 99.4°F, which responded favorably to acetaminophen (TYLENOL)." 

"His temperature has remained normal since then," O'Connor said. His symptoms remain characterized as rhinorrhea (‘runny nose’) and fatigue, with an occasional non-productive, now ‘loose’ cough.

"His voice is deeper this morning. His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation remain entirely normal, on room air," O'Connor said. 

O'Connor added that Biden is "tolerating treatment well," and that they will "continue Paxlovid as planned," and will also treat symptoms with "oral hydration," Tylenol and "the albuterol inhaler that he uses as needed." 

"His apixaban (ELIQUIS) and rosuvastatin (Crestor) are being held during PAXLOVID treatment and for several days after his last dose," he explained. "During this time, it is reasonable to add low dose aspirin as an alternative type of blood thinner." 

O'Connor stressed that Biden is "fully vaccinated and twice-boosted, so I anticipate that he will respond favorably, as most maximally protected patients do." 

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"There has been nothing in the course of his illness thus far which gives me cause to alter that initial expectation," O'Connor said, adding that "early use of Paxlovid provides additional protection against severe disease." 

"He will isolate in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, and we will continue to monitor him closely, during this very common outpatient treatment regimen," O'Connor added, noting that he will provide updates with "any changes in his condition or treatment plan." 

The announcement of the president's positive COVID-19 test came one day after Biden traveled on Air Force One to Massachusetts with top administration officials as well as Massachusetts Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, and Reps. Jake Auchincloss and Bill Keating.

The official Twitter account for President Biden later tweeted a photo of him sitting at his desk with a pen in hand overlooking some papers. 

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"Folks, I'm doing great. Thanks for your concern," the message from the president said. "Just called Senator Casey, Congressman Cartwright, and Mayor Cognetti (and my Scranton cousins!) to send my regrets for missing our event today. Keeping busy!"

First lady Jill Biden told reporters that she tested negative for COVID-19 and will be keeping her schedule Thursday in accordance with CDC guidelines. 

Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday also said she has tested negative. 

Reporters on Thursday asked Dr. Ashish Jha, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, during a press briefing where Biden may have caught the virus. After Jha said he didn’t know, Jean-Pierre interjected to say it’s not important.

"Look, I don't think that that matters, right? I think what matters is we prepared for this moment," she said.

"I think what matters is what Dr. Jha just laid out. If we look at where we were a year and a half ago, this is a president, when he walked in, one of his first priorities was to make sure we had a comprehensive plan to get people vaccinated," she continued. "And so now we look to today, more and more people are getting closer to having a more normal life, vaccines are available.

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"And as Dr. Jha said, if you have not gotten vaccinated, please do," she added. "If you have not gotten boosted, please do. These are treatments that are going to keep you safe. And I think that's what matters here, is making sure that we continue to do the work. And the good thing is that the president, again, has been vaccinated and double boosted."