US first lady Jill Biden tests positive for COVID-19

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US first lady Jill Biden has tested positive for the coronavirus and is experiencing "cold-like symptoms," the White House said Tuesday.

Biden began to develop symptoms late Monday and twice tested negative on rapid antigen tests before a PCR test result came back positive, Elizabeth Alexander, her spokeswoman, said in a statement.

"The First Lady is double-vaccinated, twice boosted, and only experiencing mild symptoms," Alexander said in a statement, noting that Biden has been prescribed a course of Pfizer's antiviral drug, Paxlovid.

Biden will isolate from others for at least five days and is currently staying at a private residence in South Carolina. She will return home after she receives two consecutive negative COVID-19 tests, according to her team.

The first lady's diagnosis comes weeks after US President Joe Biden was diagnosed with the virus. Like his wife, he was prescribed a course of Paxlovid but suffered what is known as rebound positivity after testing negative.

Paxlovid is an oral treatment for patients at high-risk for severe disease from COVID-19 and helps prevent hospitalization and death.

The president tested negative Tuesday and is planning to return to Washington from South Carolina as planned, according to the White House.

Because Biden is a close contact with the first lady he will don a mask for 10 days when indoors and in close proximity to others and his testing schedule will be increased, said the White House.

Biden's test results will be made public. ​​​​​​​