Iran Press/ America: While Biden, at 79, falls into a high-risk category for becoming seriously ill from the coronavirus, health officials say his vaccination and booster status sharply reduces his risk for serious illness.
Concerns for Joe Biden's ability to administer the US government grew after he claimed Wednesday that he had cancer. Later, the White House clarified US President Joe Biden's apparent claim Wednesday that he has cancer, saying he was referring to a skin cancer diagnosis he received before becoming President, which has been remedied.
On Friday, Biden had a raspy voice and occasional cough when addressing the meeting from his White House residence to discuss efforts to lower gas prices but said, "I feel much better than I sound."
A statement released earlier in the day from the White House physician, Kevin O'Connor, said Biden's temperature reached 37.4 C (99.4 F) on Thursday but went down on Friday.
"His voice is deeper this morning. His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation remain normal, on room air," he said.
O'Connor said Biden's primary symptoms were a runny nose, fatigue, and occasional dry cough. He said the President took Tylenol and "responded favorably" to the medicine.
The President also began Thursday a treatment of Paxlovid, the antiviral therapy treatment meant to reduce the severity of COVID-19.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Friday afternoon that Biden is improving and "has very mild symptoms." She said he benefits from being twice vaccinated and twice boosted and taking the Paxlovid treatment.
The press secretary said it is not known exactly where Biden contracted the coronavirus but said the White House had contacted 17 people who have been in recent close contact with the President, including senior staff and members of Congress. She said that none of those people have tested positive for the virus, and all are wearing masks per CDC guidelines.
Biden first tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday after receiving an antigen test. The reading was later confirmed by the more stringent Polymerase Chain Reaction test.
Former President Donald Trump also contracted the disease and was hospitalized toward the end of his four-year term. Vaccines were not available when Trump was infected.
About 100,000 new coronavirus cases are reported daily in the United States.
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Biden appears to say he has cancer
