First Lady Jill Biden Is COVID-19 Positive: What Are Her Symptoms, Treatment?
United States First Lady Jill Biden has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, days after her husband, President Joe Biden finished his isolation for a rare rebound case of the virus.
Per the latest reports, Jill Biden, who is double vaccinated and was boosted twice, is currently experiencing mild symptoms of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden, who is a close contact of the first lady has continued to test negative for the virus.
First Lady Jill Biden COVID-19 Symptoms, Close Contact
Jill Biden has tested positive on a recent RT-PCR test conducted after two negative antigen tests, CNN reports.
First Lady Communications Director Elizabeth Alexander reported that the first lady has experienced mild COVID-19 symptoms described as "cold-like."
Specific details whether she is experiencing cough, fever, or body pains were not disclosed.
"After testing negative for COVID-19 on Monday during her regular testing cadence, the first lady began to develop cold-like symptoms late in the evening. She tested negative again on a rapid antigen test, but a PCR test came back positive," Alexander said in a statement.
The 71-year-old first lady is in their private residence in South Carolina where she and the president are currently staying. This makes President Biden a close contact.
According to Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, they will be heeding CDC's guidance and will enforce that the President will be masking for 10 days when indoors and in close proximity with other people.
Pierre also affirmed that they will increase the president's testing cadence and report the results accordingly.
First Lady Jill Biden COVID-19 Treatment
Meanwhile, First Lady Jill Biden will be prescribed the same treatment as her husband had when he tested positive for the COVID-19 virus last July 21.
Alexander confirmed that the first lady will undergo a course of Paxlovid, an anti-viral drug used to treat COVID-19.
Notably, Paxlovid was the same drug that President Biden took wherein he experienced a rare "rebound case" of the virus.
Last May, the CDC cautioned the medical community about the reports of rebound cases occurring within two to eight days after testing negative for the virus.
"Limited information currently available from case reports suggests that persons treated with Paxlovid who experience COVID-19 rebound have had mild illness; there are no reports of severe disease," the CDC said at the time.
The White House affirmed the CDC's warning but still proceeded with using it, but with the approval of President Biden's physician, Dr. Kevin O' Connor. After "strict isolation," President Biden ended his isolation last August 7.
As of this writing, it is not known yet if First Lady Jill Biden has contracted the BA.5 variant of the COVID-19 like President Biden had.
The first lady will also be isolated for at least 5 days in their South Carolina residence, and will only be allowed to go home should she test negative on two consecutive tests.
READ MORE: New CDC COVID-19 Guidelines Released Amid Lowering Deaths, Severity: Here's What We Know So Far
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Ivan Korrs
WATCH: First lady Jill Biden tests positive for COVID-19 - From CBS News