Biden improving after receiving Paxlovid COVID-19 treatment: Physician

WASHINGTON

US President Joe Biden is responding favorably to a drug meant to combat COVID-19 symptoms in individuals already infected with the virus, his physician said on Friday.

Biden completed his first full day of Paxlovid treatment last night, and will continue to take the drug, Dr. Kevin O'Connor said in a letter disseminated by the White House. The president also received Tylenol to treat a fever that hit 99.4 degrees Fahrenheit (37.4 Celsius). His temperature has since stabilized.

"The president is tolerating treatment well," said O'Connor, further noting that Biden's pulse, blood pressure, breathing rate and oxygen saturation "remain entirely normal, on room air."

"As I stated previously, the President is fully-vaccinated and twice-boosted, so I anticipate that he will respond favorably, as most maximally protected patients do. There has been nothing in the course of his illness thus far which gives me cause to alter that initial explanation," he added.

Biden will continue receiving Paxlovid, Tylenol and an albuterol inhaler "that he uses as needed," the physician said. The president is currently not taking two medications he normally takes for heart health and high cholesterol​​​​​​​ while he completes his Paxlovid treatment and will continue to let them lapse "for several days after his last dose."

Low-dose aspirin will be administered in the interim to act a blood thinner.

Biden is currently isolating at the White House after testing positive for the coronavirus on Thursday.