President Biden tests positive for COVID-19

Welcome to today's edition of the Florida Coronavirus Watch Newsletter, which comes out once a week on Mondays with alerts for breaking COVID-19 news.

BREAKING: President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 today, something the White House had taken extra steps to avoid as highly transmissible strains struck top aides, Cabinet members and the vice president.

Biden is experiencing "very mild" symptoms and is taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

The president had planned to visit Tampa and Orlando on Monday for two speaking events, but it is unclear if he will still make the trip.

ALSO IN THE NEWS: BA.5 makes up nearly 80% of new cases, CDC ends COVID program for cruise ships, some of the inmates freed from prison due to COVID are getting sent back for minor reasons (for USA Today subscribers), CDC unanimously recommends Novavax COVID vaccine.

FROM A READER: "I have several at-home COVID test kits, all of which expire in August. Is it necessary to throw away these kits on their expiration date, or are they still usable, and for how long would you suggest?" First, make sure they're actually expiring then. The FDA authorized at-home COVID tests with a shelf life of about four to six months based on the results from the initial studies on them, but those expiration dates have often been extended when new studies come out. You can go find your tests on this list to see if their expiration dates have changed and, if so, what they are now.

Anything you'd like to know? Send us your questions.

COVID INFO: See our COVID-19 resource guide here. Compare the spread of COVID-19 in your area here. Here's how to tell if you have the flu, a cold, or COVID-19, and all about the tests. Here's what to do if you test positive for COVID, and what we know about long COVID.

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— C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY - Florida Network DOT Producer

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: President Biden tests positive for COVID