It doesn’t matter where President Joe Biden contracted COVID-19, according to the White House.
“I don’t think that matters. Right? I think what matters is we prepared for this moment,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on July 21, shortly after it was announced Biden tested positive for the illness.
An antigen test from Thursday morning returned positive and a Polymerase Chain Reaction test confirmed the result, according to Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s doctor.
Biden reported feeling “mild symptoms,” primarily a runny nose and fatigue, which began on Wednesday evening, the doctor added.
Biden had a “restless sleep” and a dry cough, along with a runny nose and fatigue, which triggered the testing, Jean-Pierre said.
“I don’t know the exact, like, hour that he developed—that he became aware of his symptoms,” Dr. Ashish Jha, coordinator of the White House COVID-19 response, told reporters.
Biden spent time with others before testing positive. On Wednesday, for example, he was accompanied by multiple members of Congress and White House staff like Jean-Pierre on Air Force One while traveling to Massachusetts. He met with Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s first lady, this week.
“We’re starting the process” of figuring out who was in close contact with Biden and communicating with them, Jean-Pierre said.
Some of those in contact with the president took tests, which came back negative, spokespeople said. They included Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.).
Isolating From Others, Including Wife
First Lady Jill Biden tested negative for COVID-19.
“I’m on the road in Detroit today, but I spoke to Joe earlier and he’s feeling fine, just experiencing a few mild symptoms,” the first lady wrote on Twitter.
