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07-09-2023
WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden has decided to wear a mask indoors and while meeting people as a precaution as the First Lady contracted COVID-19, according to the White House, as questions have emerged about his international travel to India for the G20 summit.
The coronavirus infection in Jill Biden sparked uncertainty over the commander-in-chief’s travel schedule.
“Joe Biden also tested negative during a check-up on Monday and is not experiencing any symptoms,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters however, adding that because the 80-year-old was with his wife Monday, “he will be masking while indoors and around people in alignment with government health guidance.”
“The president will remove his mask when sufficiently distanced from others indoors and while outside as well.”
Jean-Pierre did not provide further details on the Democrat presidential hopeful’s masking plans for the G20 summit in New Delhi later this week or for alternative arrangements in case he tests positive for COVID ahead of or during the foreign trip.
“The president certainly is going to test on a regular cadence,” the White House secretary said.
Jill Biden is experiencing “only mild symptoms,” according to her office, and will remain at the couple’s private home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The 72-year-old last tested positive for COVID a year ago.
As President Biden is making preparations for his second bidding for the Oval Office in 2024, concerns about his age have emerged as a prominent issue among voters.
Joe Biden is the oldest president to seek a second term, but his supporters maintain that he remains fit to serve in the White House.
The positive diagnosis for Jill Biden comes as the nation grapples with the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic, underscoring the importance of continued vigilance and precautions in the face of the virus.
The United States has been experiencing a rise in COVID cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks.
First lady Jill Biden planned to remain at the Rehoboth Beach home for the week and was arranging substitute teachers for her classes at a community college in northern Virginia. The president is set to depart for the Group of 20 summit in India on Thursday, and the White House said he would test again before departure.
Biden was at Tuesday’s Medal of Honor event for less than 15 minutes. CDC officials have used 15 minutes as a rough guideline for how long casual contact between two people can be for COVID-19 to spread, although it is possible for the virus to spread in less time. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
