President Biden feels well enough to exercise after five days of COVID treatment, physician says

WASHINGTON – After five days of treatment for COVID-19, President Joe Biden's symptoms are almost completely gone and he feels well enough to resume exercising, his doctor said Tuesday.

Biden's pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature "remain absolutely normal" and his lungs remain clear, Dr. Kevin O'Connor said in a statement.

The president continues to isolate, following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which meant he participated remotely in a meeting with a South Korean business conglomerate and his economic advisers.

Biden, who still sounded mildly congested and hoarse, noted that he "only a couple hundred yards away" and apologized for appearing virtually.

He may be tested for COVID on Wednesday to see if his isolation can end.

The latest

• Biden has completed a five-day course of Paxlovid, an at-home antiviral therapy for those at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

• He has continued to work from the residence, including participating in a virtual event Monday that lasted nearly an hour.

• Biden's physician will decide whether to test the president on  Wednesday to determine if he is still positive, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Top takeaways

Biden has steadily improved since beginning treatment after testing positive for COVID-19 on July 21, according to daily updates provided by his doctor.

Some people who have received Paxlovid have gotten rebound infections, which can happen as soon as a few days after testing negative.

In the small share of Paxlovid patients whose infections come back, they don't get sick enough to require hospitalization, according to COVID-19 response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha.

What they're saying

• "I hope I look as great as I feel here," Biden said on Tuesday, earning laughs.

• He told White House aides and executives with SK Group, "Well you, know what I mean. That sounded awful, didn't it? I never look that good. I hope I look as good as I usually do, which is not that good."

• "The president now feels well enough to resume his physical exercise regime," O'Connor wrote in a statement Tuesday.

• "He's excited to see all of us and be in person and be out there with the American public again," Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.

Want to know more?  Here's what you missed

Biden and Trump: A tale of two presidents with COVID. This time, things are different

Biden's variant: Biden likely has BA.5 subvariant, White House doctor says

Monkeypox: World Health Organization chief says monkeypox is now a global emergency

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: President Biden feels well enough to exercise, physician says