First Lady Jill Biden Tests Positive for COVID-19, President Biden Tests Negative
In a recent announcement, the White House has confirmed that First Lady Jill Biden has tested positive for COVID-19. She is currently experiencing mild symptoms. However, President Joe Biden has tested negative for the virus.
The diagnosis has disrupted the First Lady’s plans to begin teaching for the fall semester at Northern Virginia Community College, where she typically teaches on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Her spokesperson, Vanessa Valdivia, stated that arrangements are being made to ensure her classes are covered by a substitute.
Jill Biden, aged 72, is currently staying at the family’s residence in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and will be under the care and monitoring of the White House medical team. She will follow their guidance regarding when it is safe for her to return to the White House.
Additionally, the First Lady was scheduled to speak at a send-off dinner for the US team participating in the Invictus Games in Dรผsseldorf, Germany next week. However, due to her COVID-19 diagnosis, she will not be able to participate in the event.
As of now, there are no reported changes to White House COVID-19 protocols or President Biden’s schedule. The President is scheduled to present the Medal of Honor to an Army captain in a White House ceremony before departing for the G20 Summit in India later this week.
This development follows the First Lady’s previous COVID-19 diagnosis last summer while vacationing in South Carolina in August. President Biden had also tested positive for COVID-19 last July but experienced a rebound case shortly after being treated with Paxlovid.
The White House maintains stringent testing protocols for anyone meeting with the President, as confirmed by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. These protocols are in place to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Jill Biden’s diagnosis comes as the world prepares for the fourth virus season since the pandemic began. While COVID-19 metrics vary across different regions of the United States, there has been a slight increase in hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and positive COVID-19 tests in recent months, although not as severe as in previous summers. Scientists are also closely monitoring the emergence of new variants, such as BA.2.86, which is highly mutated but has been detected in a limited number of individuals globally, raising concerns about the virus’s ongoing evolution and challenges it presents to public health.
The situation continues to evolve, and further updates may follow as more information becomes available.
