'I'm feeling much better than I sound,' Biden says from isolation

‘I’m feeling much better than I sound’: Croaky Biden, 79, delivers Zoom speech  about gas prices falling for 30th consecutive day as he begins the second day of White House COVID isolation

• President Joe Biden apologized for his frog-like voice as he addressed reporters and his economic staff from COVID isolation Friday afternoon 
• ‘Well thanks, let me start by apologizing – my voice – I’m feeling much better than I sound,’ the president said at the top of his remarks 
• Biden then outlined how gas prices have fallen for more than 30 days 
• When it was economist Cecilia Rouse’s turn to speak, Biden could be heard loudly coughing in the background 
• He gave a thumbs up to reporters who asked him how he was feeling as journalists were told to exit the room. ‘I feel much better than I sound,’ he said 
• Biden tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday morning, with his doctor saying earlier Friday that his symptoms ‘have improved’ 

President Joe Biden apologized for his frog-like voice as he addressed reporters and his economic staff from COVID isolation Friday afternoon.  

‘Well thanks, let me start by apologizing – my voice – I’m feeling much better than I sound,’ the president said at the top of his remarks, his vocal range noticably deeper. 

Biden then outlined how gas prices have fallen for more than 30 days.

When it was economist Cecilia Rouse’s turn to speak, Biden could be heard loudly coughing in the background. 

He gave a thumbs up to reporters who asked him how he was feeling as journalists were told to exit the room. ‘I feel much better than I sound,’ Biden said again. 

Biden’s press pool was with his economic team assembled in the South Court Auditorium, while the president was kept away from them in the residence of the upstairs of the White House. 

At the briefing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden had been very ‘active’ on Friday. 

‘The president said he is still putting in eight-plus hours of work a day,’ Jean-Pierre said. ‘And that he wants to remind Americans to get vaccinated.’ 

President Joe Biden spoke virtually to his economic advisers and journalists who were gathered in the South Court Auditorium on Friday and gave a thumbs up to reporters when asked how he was feeling after contracting COVID-19

‘Let me start by apologizing – my voice – I’m feeling much better than I sound,’ the president said at the top of his remarks, his vocal range noticably deeper

The president was heard loudly coughing as economic adviser Cecilia Rouse spoke about gas prices at an event on Friday 

Biden’s symptoms ‘have improved,’ according to a letter the White House released mid-morning Friday provided by Physician to the President, Dr. Kevin O’Connor. 

O’Connor reported that Biden completed his first full day of the antiviral Paxlovid, after testing positive for COVID-19 on both an antigen and PCR test Thursday morning. 

‘He did mount a temperature yesterday evening to 99.4 degrees, which responded favorably to acetaminophen (TYLENOL),’ the letter said. 

O’Connor said Biden’s symptoms continued to be a runny nose, fatigue – and now a ‘loose’ cough.  

‘His voice is deeper this morning. His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation remain entirely normal, on room air,’ the doctor added.   

The White House doctor said Biden would continue Paxlovid, which would be supplemented with oral hydration, acetaminophen and an albuterol inhaler, which is used by asthmatics. 

Prior to the release of the doctor’s letter, the White House released another photo of Biden working from the residence – this time he was wearing a mask. 

The image shows the president on Thursday signing the FORMULA Act, a bill that temporarily removes tariffs from imported baby formula. 

Afterward, a similar picture of Biden from Friday was shared via Twitter. 

‘President Biden continued working from the White House this morning, including speaking by phone with his national security team,’ the tweet said.  

The White House released a new photo of President Joe Biden Friday morning as he works from the residence after testing positive for COVID-19. The new image shows Biden, in a mask, signing the FORMULA Act sometime Thursday

Another image shared early Friday afternoon shows President Joe Biden working from the residence Friday. ‘President Biden continued working from the White House this morning, including speaking by phone with his national security team,’ a tweet said 

President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 symptoms ‘have improved,’ according to a letter the White House released mid-morning Friday provided by Physician to the President, Dr. Kevin O’Connor to press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping contacted Biden to wish him a ‘speedy recovery,’ Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.  

‘I would like to express my deep sympathies to you and wish you a speedy recovery,’ Xi said, according to AFP. 

On Wednesday, Biden said he planned to speak with the Chinese leader within the next 10 days, but wouldn’t reveal if he had made a decision on whether to keep or end Trump-era Chinese tariffs.

Xi’s message was the first contact between the two leaders in four months, as the relationship has deteriorated over Taiwan, Ukraine and other issues. 

Biden and Xi – who have known each other for decades – held a video call on March 18, with Biden warning Xi not to help Russia invade Ukraine. 

Earlier this week, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijiang lashed out over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly planning to visit Taiwan next month.

A visit by Pelosi would ‘severely undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, gravely impact the foundation of China-U.S. relations and send a seriously wrong signal to Taiwan independence forces,’ Zhao said. 

‘If the U.S. were to insist on going down the wrong path, China will take resolute and strong measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity,’ the spokesman added. 

COVID-19 originated in China and Biden initially pushed U.S. intelligence agencies to investigate the origins of the pandemic, however the effort has seemingly stalled. 

Chinese state media said that Chinese President Xi Jinping reached out to Biden Friday to with his a ‘speedy recovery’ after the American president’s COVID diagnosis 

White House COVID Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha (right) was doing the rounds on the morning shows Friday, saying on CNN that Biden was ‘doing just fine’ and ‘the symptoms were basically the same 

On Friday morning, White House COVID Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha was doing the rounds on the morning shows, saying he had last spoken to Biden’s medical team around 10 p.m. Thursday night. 

He said on CNN that Biden was ‘doing just fine’ and ‘the symptoms were basically the same.’

On ABC’s Good Morning America, Jha pushed back that Biden’s age could make fighting the virus more problematic.  

‘He is about as well-protected for this virus as possible,’ Jha answered, pointing to the four COVID vaccine shots the president has had, on top of his prescription for the antiviral, Paxlovid. 

Jha will again be on hand at Friday afternoon’s White House press briefing. 

The White House has so far resisted putting O’Connor in front of the press.  

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