REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) 鈥� 鈥渟ymptoms have almost resolved completely鈥� from COVID-19, according to his physician, as the president on Monday remained out of public view for the fifth straight day.
Biden called into the Wilmington, Delaware, headquarters of his former campaign during a visit by Vice President Kamala Harris, whose bid for the White House has been endorsed by Biden. The president sought to pep up the staff, urging them to give 鈥渆very bit鈥� of their 鈥渉eart and soul" to Harris. Biden also vowed to be 鈥渙ut on the road鈥� campaigning for his vice president.
鈥淚f I didn鈥檛 have Covid, I鈥檇 be standing there with you," said Biden, whose voice sounded a touch gravelly.
The president was last seen in public late Wednesday after arriving at a U.S. air base in Dover, Delaware, after while campaigning in Las Vegas earlier in the day. He then motorcaded to his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The White House says Biden plans to return to the White House on Tuesday afternoon.
Biden鈥檚 physician, Dr. Kevin O鈥機onnor, said that the president had completed his 10th dose of the COVID-fighting medication Paxlovid on Monday morning and continued to perform all of his presidential duties.
鈥淗is symptoms have almost resolved completely. His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain absolutely normal,鈥� O鈥機onnor wrote. 鈥淗is oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear.鈥�
The White House said Biden received separate briefings on Monday from homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall and national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Both briefings were conducted virtually.
Biden鈥檚 public schedule for the week has remained clear as he recovers from the virus, but he said in his letter on Sunday that he planned to deliver an address to the nation this week to discuss his decision to end his candidacy.
Biden plans to at the White House Thursday, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the White House announcement.
Biden also plans to meet at the White House later this week with the families of Americans who are still being held hostage in Gaza, according to a statement from the group of families who met privately with Sullivan earlier Monday.
It would be the second time that Biden has met with the families. The families again publicly urged Israel and Hamas to come to an agreement on a cease-fire deal that would release their loved ones. Biden in late May proposed a three-phased deal aimed at returning remaining hostages taken by Hamas in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel and could potentially lead to a permanent truce to end the nine-month war in Gaza.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to keep working to an end to the war in Gaza," Biden said during his call-in to the campaign headquarters. "I鈥檒l be working really closely with the Israelis and with the Palestinians to try to work out how we can get the Gaza war to end, and Middle East peace, and get all those hostages home. I think we鈥檙e on the verge of being able to do that.鈥�
___
Megerian reported from Wilmington, Delaware, and Kim from Washington. AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.
Aamer Madhani, Chris Megerian And Seung Min Kim, The Associated Press
