President Biden's COVID-19 symptoms 'almost completely resolved,' physician says

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden's symptoms have "almost completely resolved" after testing positive for COVID-19 last week, his physician said Monday.

At this point, Biden is only reporting some residual nasal congestion and minimal hoarseness, Kevin O'Connor, physician to the president, said in a letter.

The president's symptoms have steadily improved each day since he tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. Biden's pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain "absolutely normal," O'Connor said.

"The president continues to tolerate treatment well," he said. "He will continue Paxlovid as planned. He is experiencing no shortness of breath at all."

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Biden, who remains in isolation at the White House, completed his fourth full day of Paxlovid, an antiviral treatment for the contagious disease, on Sunday. O'Connor said Biden will also continue taking a low-dose aspirin as an alternative type of blood thinner.

"I'm feeling great," Biden told reporters after holding a virtual event as the White House worked to show a president still on the job despite his illness. "I've had two full nights of sleep all the way through. As a matter of fact, my dog had to wake me up this morning. My wife's not here."

He added: "I think I'm on my way to a full and total recovery – God willing."

Biden's voice sounded raspy as he spoke with business executives and labor leaders by video to push for the Senate approval of the $52 billion Chips Act to boost the semiconductor industry. The president also addressed the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives in a pre-recorded video released by the White House.

Earlier Monday, the White House publicized a photo of Biden on the telephone sitting next to Commander, his German Shepherd dog, on a White House patio. "Took calls this morning with man's best co-worker," Biden said in tweet.

Biden is believed to have been infected by the BA.5 omicron subvariant of COVID-19, which has proven highly transmissible. The strain is currently the most dominant in the U.S.

Biden remained at the White House over the weekend, canceling previous plans to visit Wilmington, Del, where first lady Jill Biden stayed. The president held no public events.

Biden is expected to complete five full days of isolation before being tested again for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden's COVID-19 symptoms 'almost completely resolved,' physician says