Biden tests negative for COVID-19 ahead of planned Kentucky visit
President Joe Biden’s doctor announced that the president tested negative for COVID-19 on Saturday and “continues to feel very well” ahead of a planned trip with first lady Jill Biden to visit flood-ravaged eastern Kentucky to survey the damage there and meet with local leaders to offer support.
According to White House doctor Kevin O’Connor, the president will continue to isolate “pending a second negative test.” Biden was administered a SARS-CoV-2 antigen test.
The White House announced on Friday that the president would go to Kentucky to join Gov. Andy Beshear at the Federal Emergency Management Agency State Disaster Recover Center after at least 37 people died in recent flooding in eastern Kentucky.
Flash flooding hit various small towns after storms saw from 8 to over 10 inches of rain dumped over that part of the state in just 48 hours. Heavy rains hit eastern Kentucky and some areas across the state line in Virginia and West Virginia.
Biden’s trip to Kentucky will be his first outside of Washington after testing positive for COVID-19 on July 21. The president has been isolated since testing positive on July 30 with a rebound case of COVID-19.
