Biden makes first in-person appearance after COVID-19 isolation

U.S. President Joe Biden walks on the South Lawn to board Marine One at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, July 20, 2022. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

"My symptoms were mild, my recovery was quick and I'm feeling great," President Joe Biden said in remarks from the Rose Garden.

WASHINGTON, July 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden made the first in-person appearance at the White House on Wednesday after testing negative for COVID-19.

"My symptoms were mild, my recovery was quick and I'm feeling great," Biden said in remarks from the Rose Garden.

He told a crowd that COVID-19 "isn't gone" in the United States but serious illness can be avoided with vaccines and treatments.

Biden tested negative for the coronavirus Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, according to a memo from White House physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor.

O'Connor added that Biden, 79, will discontinue isolation measures but will wear a mask for 10 more days while increasing testing cadence.

Fully vaccinated and twice boosted, Biden took Paxlovid, an antiviral therapy produced by Pfizer and given to patients with COVID-19, after testing positive last week. ■