The 71-year-old had tested negative on Monday during a routine test session, but developed cold-like symptoms that evening. She tested negative on a rapid antigen test before the PCR test came back positive. Spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander said that, like her husband Joe Biden, the first lady had two vaccinations and two booster shots against the disease. She has mild symptoms and has been prescribed the antiviral drug Paxlovid. Mr. and Mrs. Biden are vacationing in South Carolina. He will self-isolate there for at least five days, the White House said, and return home after two consecutive negative tests. Mr Biden contracted the virus last month but had a rebound case days after testing negative, requiring a second period of self-isolation. The president was also given Paxlovid, which can reduce hospitalization and death among patients by 90 percent if given within five days of the onset of symptoms. But it’s also associated with a higher incidence of rebound infections, where patients test positive again a few days after the drug helped them clear the original infection. Biden tested negative on Tuesday, the White House announced, but will wear a mask indoors for 10 days, as directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He’s back at work.
