Joe Biden's presidential Twitter handle announced Saturday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 a second time just days after recovery.
"Folks, today I tested positive for COVID again. This happens with a small minority of folks. I've got no symptoms but I am going to isolate for the safety of everyone around me," the @POTUS handle indicated, adding that the president would continue to work, "and will be on the road soon."
According to White House Physician O'Connor, Biden tested positive in a so-called "rebound" case. He is not suffering any symptoms, and "continues to feel quite well," the doctor assured.
"As described last week, acknowledging the potential for so-called 'rebound' COVID positivity observed in a small percentage of patients treated with PAXLOVID, the President increased his testing cadence, both to protect people around him and to assure early detection of any return of viral replication. After testing negative on Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning, Thursday morning and Friday morning, the President tested positive late Saturday morning, by antigen testing. This in fact represents 'rebound' positivity," O'Connor explained in a letter posted by the White House's Twitter account.
In a follow-up video message, Biden remarked that he was "feeling fine," and that he would be "working from home for the next couple days."
"Everything is good," he underscored.
Biden, 79, was double-vaxxed and double-boosted when he caught COVID-19 last week. The president has strongly criticized unvaccinated Americans throughout the health emergency, calling it a "pandemic for those who haven't gotten the vaccination," and supporting measures to forcefully "encourage" people to get the jab. In January, the Supreme Court slapped down his administration's workplace vaccine mandate push, ruling it to be government overreach.
Paxlovid is an oral medication used as a treatment for COVID-19, and is manufactured by Pfizer. The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization for the drug in late 2021.
In recent weeks, a growing number of Americans have reported rebound coronavirus cases after taking the drug, sparking questions about its effectiveness, and the FDA's methodology in approving the medication.