Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden Tested Positive For Second Day With Rebound Covid Case
AP: Doctor: Biden Tests Positive For COVID For 2nd Day In A Row
In a letter noting the positive test, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the White House physician, said Sunday that the president “continues to feel well” and will keep on working from the executive residence while he isolates. Biden tested positive on Saturday, requiring him to cancel travel and in-person events as he isolates for at least five days in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. (Boak, 7/31)
Reuters: Biden Feeling Well, Isolating After Rebound Case Of COVID
U.S. President Joe Biden is feeling well and continuing his isolation measures after again testing positive for COVID-19, his physician said in a memo released by the White House on Sunday. (Singh, 7/31)
NBC News: Biden’s Repeat Covid Is Due To Paxlovid Rebound. Experts Insist Recurrences Are Rare
Around 1% to 2% of people taking Paxlovid in Pfizer's clinical trial tested positive for the coronavirus after having tested negative. Rebound rates are around 5% among the tens of thousands of people who've taken the drug in real-life settings, the White House Covid response coordinator, Dr. Ashish Jha, said at a news conference last week. "If you look at Twitter, it feels like everybody has rebound," Jha said. "But it turns out there's actually clinical data." (Bendix, 7/30)
The Atlantic: Biden’s COVID Is Back. Is Paxlovid To Blame?
With more than 40,000 prescriptions being handed out a day, we’re taking Paxlovid at about the same rate that we’re taking oxycodone. When Biden got sick last week, he started taking the pills before the day was out. When Anthony Fauci had COVID in June, he took two courses. That enthusiasm is in line with the government’s messaging around the drug. (Gutman-Wei, 7/30)
