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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: BIDEN COVID
HEADLINE: Biden Positive for COVID-19, ‘Fully Carrying Out His Duties’
TEASER: The White House says the 79-year-old U.S. president is experiencing mild symptoms, will isolate at the White House
PUBLISHED AT: 7/21/2022 at 6:37p
BYLINE: Cindy Saine
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE:
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Bowman, Jepsen
VIDEO SOURCE (S): MRT White House, AFP, AP, Reuters
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:47
VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO: ))
[[The White House says President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing "very mild symptoms." The president's diagnosis comes amid another wave of the coronavirus in the United States, driven this time by the BA.5 variant. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.]]
((NARRATOR)
The White House fielded a flurry of questions Thursday about President Joe Biden testing positive for COVID-19. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters the president told her he is feeling fine and is fully carrying out all of his duties.
((Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary))
"The president has been working from the residence, like so many of us have during this pandemic, doing calls with senior staff including the Chief of Staff, myself and Dr. Jha, who's here with us.”
((NARRATOR)
White House COVID-19 Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said the 79-year-old Biden has a runny nose and a dry cough but stressed that he has a strong level of immunity from the virus and is taking the anti-viral medication Paxlovid.
(Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID Response Coordinator))
"I want to also just take a minute to mark this moment. Because the president is fully vaccinated, double boosted, his risk of serious illness is dramatically lower. He's also getting treated with a very powerful antiviral, and that further reduces his risk of serious illness, and it's a reminder of the reason that we all worked so hard to make sure that every American has the same level of protection that the president has, that every American has the same level of immunity.
Biden traveled to Massachusetts to deliver remarks on climate change Wednesday and was feeling fine, the White House said. He took a routine COVID test Thursday morning and tested positive.
((courtesy TWITTER@POTUS))
Biden took to social media to reassure Americans, saying he has tested positive, but he is still working hard and feeling good.
((President Joe Biden))
“Thanks for your concern. And keep the faith. It’s going to be okay.”
((end courtesy))
((NARRATOR))
First lady Jill Biden also sought to reassure Americans, as she continued a trip to visit a school in Detroit, Michigan.
((Jill Biden, First Lady))
“… I talked to him just a few minutes ago, he's doing fine. He's feeling good. I tested negative this morning, I am going to keep my schedule, I am … according to CDC guidelines, I'm keeping masked …”
((NARRATOR))
The White House COVID-19 coordinator said the BA.5 subvariant makes up 78 percent of all infections in the United States right now. Dr. Jha said President Biden fought hard to make vaccines and anti-viral medication available to everyone and encouraged all Americans to get vaccinated and boosted right away.
Cindy Saine, VOA News
NewsML Media TopicsPolitics
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJuly 21, 2022 18:46 EDT
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
