United States: Joe Biden tests positive for Covid-19, says he’s fine and will continue to perform his duties

On Wednesday, Joe Biden’s spokeswoman asserted that the president, who says he feels “fine”, is “fully vaccinated” and will “continue to perform his duties fully” during his period of confinement.

This new infection is fuelling doubts about his candidacy for the presidency. Although Joe Biden claimed to be “fine” after testing positive for Covid-19 on July 17, the situation has rekindled concerns about his age and health, prompting some to call for his withdrawal from the race for the White House.

Facing the challenges of campaigning at over 80

The spokeswoman stressed that the president is “fully vaccinated” and will “continue to fully perform his duties” despite his confinement, while campaigning to appeal to Hispanic voters in Nevada. “I will continue to work for the American people,” Joe Biden wrote on X, after being seen giving a thumbs-up as he boarded the presidential plane ”Air Force One.”

Political survival in question

In an interview with BET media on Tuesday, 81-year-old Joe Biden raised the possibility of abandoning his campaign for the first time, stating that only a serious medical condition could cause him to withdraw. This announcement of his infection comes at a critical time when Biden is trying to recover from his poor performance in the late June debate with Donald Trump, which raised doubts about his physical and mental capabilities.

Growing calls for withdrawal

Some twenty members of the House and one senator have already urged Joe Biden to withdraw from the race. The calls, which had quietened down after Donald Trump’s assassination attempt on Saturday, have picked up again. According to ABC News, Chuck Schumer, the powerful Democratic majority leader in the Senate, has also advised Biden to throw in the towel. Earlier on Wednesday, Adam Schiff, an influential elected official from California, urged Joe Biden to “pass the torch”, expressing doubts about the president’s ability to beat Donald Trump in November.