“After testing negative for COVID-19 on Monday during her regular testing cadence, the First Lady began to develop cold-like symptoms late in the evening. She tested negative again on a rapid antigen test, but a PCR test came back positive,” Elizabeth Alexander, the first lady’s communications director, said in a statement.
The first lady is fully immunized and has obtained two booster shots. She has mild symptoms, the White House said, and will start taking Paxlovid, an antiviral drug that has proven adequate at curbing severe cases of COVID-19.
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“She is currently staying at a private residence in South Carolina and will return home after she receives two consecutive negative COVID tests,” Alexander said in a statement.
The President tested negative on Tuesday after taking a rapid test, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted.
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“Consistent with CDC guidance because he is a close contact of the First Lady, he will mask for 10 days when indoors and in close proximity to others. We will also increase the President’s testing cadence and report those results,” Jean-Pierre tweeted.
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The first lady’s COVID-19 case comes around two weeks after the President was able to leave isolation following a rebound case of COVID-19. Rebound cases can happen in patients who take Paxlovid when a patient tests negative for the virus, only to test positive again a few days later.
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The President and first lady have been vacationing in Kiawah Island, S.C., since Wednesday. The President is scheduled to return to Washington later Tuesday to pass the Inflation Reduction Act before flying to Delaware for the rest of the week.
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Mr. Biden was in touch with members of staff by phone on Thursday morning, the White House said, and would engage in his scheduled meetings through phone and Zoom, resuming in-person work when he tests negative.
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"The president's last previous test for COVID was Tuesday, when he had a negative test result," it said.
On 16 June, NBC News reported that the President tested negative for the virus twice during that week.
The finding came after Ms Jean-Pierre repeatedly refused to reveal the President's testing status, a turnaround from previous practice.
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Multiple members of the Biden administration and other senior figures in Washington have tested positive for the virus in recent months, including vice-president Kamala Harris in April, House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi and Attorney General Merrick Garland.
All have since tested negative and resumed working.