>>> GOOD MORNING.
WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR BECAUSE
PRESIDENT BIDEN IS ABOUT TO MAKE
HIS FIRST PUBLIC IN-PERSON
APPEARANCE SINCE TESTING
POSITIVE FOR COVID LAST
THURSDAY.
HE'S GOING TO SPEAK FROM THE
ROSE GARDEN JUST ABOUT AN HOUR
AFTER TWEETING THIS OUT, A
PICTURE OF A NEGATIVE TEST,
SAYING HE WAS GOING BACK TO THE
OVAL.
HIS DOCTOR, KEVIN O'CONNOR, ALSO
RELEASING A STATEMENT THIS
MORNING, SAYING MR. BIDEN HAS
TESTED NEGATIVE TWICE SINCE LAST
NIGHT.
HE IS FEVER-FREE.
DR. O'CONNOR SAYS THE PRESIDENT
WILL THEN DISCONTINUE THE
ISOLATION HE'S BEEN DOING.
HE'S BEEN ISOLATING FOR FIVE
FULL DAYS.
WHILE WE WAIT FOR PRESIDENT
BIDEN TO WALK OUT TO THE ROSE
GARDEN, I WANT TO GET RIGHT TO
OUR CHIEF WHITE HOUSE
CORRESPONDENT, KRISTEN WELKER.
AND KRISTEN, THE PRESIDENT IS
EXPECTED TO FRAME THIS MOMENT AS
AN ILLUSTRATION OF HOW AND WHY
THE ADMINISTRATION'S PANDEMIC
RESPONSE HAS BEEN WORKING.
>> Reporter: THAT'S ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT, HALLIE.
PRESIDENT BIDEN IS GOING TO USE
THIS AS A TEACHABLE MOMENT.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS.
HE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE
FACT THAT HE'S VACCINATED AND
TWICE BOOSTED.
THAT HE TOOK THE ANTI-VIRAL,
PAXLOVID, AND THAT IS PART OF
THE REASON WHY HE HAD SUCH A
MILD INFECTION.
NOW, WE ARE EXPECTING A BIT OF
STAGECRAFT AT WORK HERE, HALLIE.
HE'S BEEN ISOLATING FOR FIVE
STRAIGHT DAYS.
HE'S GOING TO BE EMERGING FROM
THE RESIDENCE, WHERE HE HAS BEEN
IN ISOLATION.
BEHIND ME, WHITE HOUSE
OFFICIALS, WHO HAVE NOT SEEN
HIM, HALLIE, FOR THOSE FIVE
DAYS.
SO HERE IS THE PRESIDENT WALKING
OUT, SEEING THESE OFFICIALS FOR
THE FIRST TIME SINCE HE TESTED
POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.
HE'S GOING TO DECLARE THE FACT
THAT HE IS NOW NEGATIVE.
HIS STAFF ARE SAYING HE WILL
CONTINUE TO WEAR A MASK FOR
ABOUT TEN DAYS, BECAUSE, OF
COURSE, IN RARE INSTANCES, THERE
CAN BE A RECURRENCE OF
INFECTION, FOR THOSE WHO TAKE
PAXLOVID.
AND HE'S GOING TO BE TESTING
MORE REGULARLY.
HALLIE, A LOT OF ISSUES LOOMING
OVER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
BUT TODAY, HE'S GOING TO BE
FOCUSED ON COVID, HALLIE.
>> THANK YOU.
LET'S LISTEN TO PRESIDENT BIDEN.
>> AS I WAS WALKING OUT, I
THOUGHT I HEARD A RUMBLING OF MY
STAFF SAYING, OH, HE'S BACK.
THANKS FOR STICKING AROUND.
HELLO, EVERYONE.
I'VE JUST TESTED NEGATIVE FOR
COVID-19 AFTER ISOLATING FOR
FIVE DAYS.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
THANKFULLY, I'LL NOW BE ABLE TO
RETURN TO WORK IN PERSON.
BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
YOUR WELL WISHES, YOUR PRAYERS
OVER THIS PAST WEEK AND THE
CALLS I'VE GOTTEN.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MEDICAL
TEAM HERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR
THE INCREDIBLE CARE THEY GAVE
ME.
FORTUNATELY, GOD, THANKFULLY,
GOD WILLING, MY SYMPTOMS WERE
MILD, MY RECOVERY WAS QUICK, AND
I'M FEELING GREAT.
THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS IN
ISOLATION, I WAS ABLE TO WORK,
TO CARRY OUT THE DUTIES OF THE
OFFICE AND WITHOUT ANY
INTERRUPTION.
IT'S A REAL STATEMENT ON WHERE
WE ARE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
COVID-19.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE FACING A NEW
VARIANT, THE BA.5 VARIANT, A
VERY TRANSMISSIBLE VERSION OF
OMICRON VARIANT WE SAW HERE THIS
PAST WINTER.
IN FACT, THIS NEW VARIANT THAT
INFECTED ME IS GETTING A LOT OF
PEOPLE INFECTED ALL AROUND THE
WORLD, NOT JUST HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES.
WE SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO
TRY TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THIS
VIRUS.
MY ADMINISTRATION MADE BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS IN FUNDING AVAILABLE
TO IMPROVE VENTILATION IN OUR
SCHOOLS AND OUR PUBLIC
BUILDINGS.
WE MADE TESTS WIDELY AVAILABLE
SO YOU CAN TAKE ONE BEFORE
ATTENDING A LARGE INDOOR
GATHERINGS OR VISITING WITH
HIGH-RISK INDIVIDUALS.
WE MADE HIGH-QUALITY MASKS
AVAILABLE FOR FREE, SO YOU
SHOULD CONSIDER WEARING A MASK
WHEN YOU'RE IN A CROWDED INDOOR
PUBLIC PLACE.
THESE PRECAUTIONS ADD AN EXTRA
LAYER OF PROTECTION FOR YOU AND
FOR THOSE AROUND YOU.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT BA.5
MEANS MANY OF US ARE STILL GOING
TO GET COVID, EVEN IF WE TAKE
THE PRECAUTIONS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE DOING
ANYTHING WRONG.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS COVID IS
STILL WITH US.
AS IT HAS BEEN FOR TWO AND A
HALF YEARS.
BUT OUR FIGHT AGAINST COVID IS
MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT NOW IS OUR
ABILITY TO PROTECT OURSELVES
FROM SERIOUS ILLNESS DUE TO
COVID.
IN FACT, THAT'S RADICALLY
DIFFERENT TODAY THAN IT WAS JUST
A YEAR AGO.
COVID ISN'T GONE, BUT EVEN WITH
CASES CLIMBING IN THIS COUNTRY,
COVID DEATHS ARE DOWN NEARLY
90%.
AND WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, THAT'S
90% DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TODAY AND
WHEN I TOOK OFFICE.
THAT'S WHAT'S NEW.
THAT'S WHAT'S NEW IN COVID
RESPONSE.
DIFFERENT FROM WHERE WE WERE
JUST A YEAR AGO.
EVEN IF COVID -- EVEN IF YOU GET
COVID, YOU CAN AVOID WINDING UP
WITH A SEVERE CASE.
YOU CAN NOW PREVENT MOST COVID
DEATHS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THREE
FREE TOOLS THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION HAS INVESTED IN
AND DISTRIBUTED THIS PAST YEAR,
BOOSTER SHOTS, AT-HOME TESTS,
EASY-TO-USE, EFFECTIVE
TREATMENTS.
WE GOT THROUGH COVID WITH NO
FEAR.
I GOT THROUGH IT WITH NO FEAR.
A VERY MILD DISCOMFORT, BECAUSE
OF THESE ESSENTIAL, LIFE-SAVING
TOOLS.
AND GUESS WHAT, I WANT TO REMIND
EVERYBODY, THEY ARE FREE.
THEY ARE CONVENIENT, AND THEY
ARE SAFE.
AND THEY WORK.
FIRST, BOOSTER SHOTS.
THEY WEREN'T AVAILABLE A YEAR
AGO.
THEY ARE NOW, EVERYWHERE.
EVERY PERSON AGE 5 AND OVER
SHOULD GET A BOOSTER SHOT.
IF YOU'RE OVER 50 YEARS OLD, YOU
SHOULD GET TWO BOOSTER SHOTS.
I DID.
AND IF YOU HAVE YOUR BOOSTERS --
UP WITH, IF YOU'RE UNDER 50,
TWO, IF YOU'RE OVER 50, YOUR
ODDS OF GETTING SEVERELY ILL
FROM COVID ARE VERY, VERY LOW.
EVEN OLDER AMERICANS ARE VERY
UNLIKELY TO GET SEVERE COVID IF
THEY HAVE TWO BOOSTER SHOTS.
MOST COVID DEATHS ARE AMONG
THOSE WHO ARE NOT UP TO DATE ON
THEIR SHOTS, THEIR COVID
VACCINATIONS.
SO, IF YOU'RE OVER 50 AND IF YOU
HAVEN'T GOTTEN A BOOSTER SHOT
THIS YEAR, GO GET ONE RIGHT
AWAY.
GO TO COVID.GOV, TYPE IN YOUR
ZIP CODE, AND FIND A PLACE WHERE
YOU CAN GET A BOOSTER SHOT FOR
FREE, USUALLY AT A SITE THAT'S
LESS THAN FIVE MILES FROM YOUR
HOME.
SECOND, AT-HOME TESTS.
A YEAR AGO, AT-HOME TESTS WERE
RARE AND EXPENSIVE.
NOW, EVERYONE IN AMERICA CAN GET
THEM FOR FREE, SHIPPED TO THEIR
DOOR.
SHIPPED TO THEIR DOOR.
THERE'S NO EXCUSE.
AGAIN, GO TO COVID.GOV AND ORDER
AT-HOME TESTS FOR FREE.
TESTING TO FIND OUT IF YOUR
SYMPTOMS MEAN YOU HAVE COVID IS
CRITICAL IN GETTING TREATMENT
QUICKLY.
THIRD, TREATMENTS.
IF YOU TEST POSITIVE, YOU HAVE A
NEW POWERFUL -- WE HAVE A NEW
POWERFUL TREATMENT CALLED
PAXLOVID.
IT WASN'T AVAILABLE A YEAR AGO.
IT'S NOW -- IT'S A PILL.
AND NOW YOU CAN TAKE THESE PILLS
AT HOME.
YOU CAN GET THEM FOR FREE AT
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LOCAL
DRUGSTORES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THE FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION, THE FDA EVEN PUT
IN A SPECIAL RULE SO MANY
PHARMACISTS CAN PRESCRIBE
THESE -- THIS PARTICULAR DRUG.
SO YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GO TO
THE DOCTOR TO GET A
PRESCRIPTION.
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS HAVE USED
PAXLOVID -- PAXLOVID, EXCUSE ME.
I TELL YOU WHAT, I THINK IT'S --
I USED IT.
PAXLOVID, INCLUDING ME.
THIS LIFE-SAVING DRUG REDUCES
RISK OF HOSPITALIZATION AND
DEATH FROM COVID-19 BY ABOUT 0%.
AGAIN, IT'S FREE, SAFE, AND EASY
TO TAKE.
AND WE MOVED QUICKLY TOO MAKE IT
WIDELY AVAILABLE, INCLUDING THE
THOUSANDS OF CONVENIENT TESTS TO
TREAT SITES WHERE YOU CAN GET
TESTED, AND IF YOU NEED IT,
PAXLOVID IS AT THE READY, RIGHT
THEN AND THERE, WHEN YOU MAKE
YOUR VISIT.
AGAIN, GO TO COVID.GOV TO FIND
WHERE TEST AND TREAT SITES NEAR
YOU.
HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE, WHEN MY
PREDECESSOR GOT COVID, HE HAD TO
GET HELICOPTERED TO WALTER REED
MEDICAL CENTER.
HE WAS SEVERELY ILL.
THANKFULLY, HE RECOVERED.
WHEN I GOT COVID, I WORKED FROM
UPSTAIRS OF THE WHITE HOUSE, IN
THE OFFICES UPSTAIRS, AND FOR
THAT FIVE-DAY PERIOD.
THE DIFFERENCE IS, VACCINATIONS,
OF COURSE.
BUT ALSO, THREE NEW TOOLS, FREE
TO ALL AND WIDELY AVAILABLE.
YOU DON'T NEED TO BE PRESIDENT
TO GET THESE TOOLS TO USE FOR
YOUR DEFENSE.
IN FACT, THE SAME BOOSTER SHOTS,
THE SAME AT-HOME TESTS, THE SAME
TREATMENT THAT I GOT IS
AVAILABLE TO YOU.
MY ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE SURE
THAT ALL AMERICANS, ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE,
HAVE FREE ACCESS TO THOSE TOOLS.
COVID WAS KILLING THOUSANDS OF
AMERICANS A DAY WHEN I GOT HERE.
THAT ISN'T THE CASE ANYMORE.
YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT FEAR BY
DOING WHAT I DID.
GET BOOSTED, GET TESTED, AND GET
TREATMENT.
AT THE SAME TIME, MY
ADMINISTRATION REMAINS VIGILANT.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THE TOOLS TO
KEEP YOU FROM GETTING SEVERELY
ILL OR DYING FROM COVID.
BUT WE'RE NOT STOPPING THERE.
EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE HAD A
CONFERENCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE,
FOR ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION OF
VACCINES, WITH THE GOAL OF
KEEPING PEOPLE FROM GETTING SICK
IN THE FIRST PLACE, GETTING
COVID AT ALL.
EVEN GETTING IT.
LET ME CLOSE WITH THIS.
OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS, MY
MIRPGS HAVE LEFT NO STONE
UNTURNED IN THIS FIGHT AGAINST
THIS PANDEMIC.
NONE.
WE BROUGHT DOWN DEATHS BY NEARLY
90% SINCE I TOOK OFFICE, BECAUSE
OF THE HELP OF ALL THE PEOPLE IN
THIS ROSE GARDEN.
BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS RESPONDED,
GRANDPARENTS ARE HUGGING THEIR
GRANDKIDS AGAIN.
WEDDINGS, BIRTHDAYS,
CELEBRATIONS ARE HAPPENING
IN-PERSON AGAIN.
SO LET'S KEEP EMERGING FROM ONE
OF THE DARKEST MOMENTS IN OUR
HISTORY WITH HOPE AND LIGHT FOR
WHAT CAN COME.
GET VACCINATED IF YOU HAVEN'T
GOTTEN ALREADY.
AND NOW, GET BOOSTED.
ORDER YOUR FREE TESTS.
AND IF YOU GET SICK AND TEST
POSITIVE, SEEK TREATMENT.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE
LIFE-SAVING TOOLS.
WE HAVE MORE OF THESE TOOLS THAN
WE EVER HAD BEFORE.
AND TO MY FRIENDS IN CONGRESS,
LET'S KEEP INVESTING IN THESE
TOOLS.
VACCINATIONS, TREATMENTS, TESTS,
AND MORE SO WE CAN HELP MAKE
THEM AVAILABLE TO AMERICANS, THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, ON A PERMANENT
BASIS.
LET'S GET MOVING -- WHEN I SAY A
PERMANENT BASIS, AS LONG AS THEY
ARE NEEDED.
LET'S KEEP MOVING FORWARD
SAFELY.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND NOW, I GET
TO GO BACK TO THE OVAL OFFICE.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> PRESIDENT BIDEN THERE.
DELIVERING REMARKS FROM THE ROSE
GARDEN WITH A NOTICEABLY
LESS-HOARSE VOICE THAN WE'VE
SEEN HIM SO FAR, SAYING HE IS
FEELING GREAT AND POINTING OUT,
HE SAYS, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO
BE PRESIDENT TO GET THE KIND OF
CARE THAT HE GOT WHILE HE WAS
ISOLATING AND RECOVERING WITH
MILD SYMPTOMS.
HE SAID, COVID IS STILL WITH US,
BUT HE SAYS, THE FIGHT THAT HIS
ADMINISTRATION IS CONDUCTING IS
MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO
PROGRESS AGAINST THIS PANDEMIC.
HE ALSO DREW A NOTABLE CONTRAST
WITH HIS PREDECESSOR, FORMER
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, WHO ALSO
GOT COVID AT A TIME WHEN
VACCINES WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
I WANT TO BRING IN NOW OUR CHIEF
WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT,
KRISTEN WELKER.
KRISTEN, IN MANY WAYS, THIS WAS
A TRIUMPHANT RETURN, AT LEAST IN
THE EYES OF THE PRESIDENT'S
STAFF, TO THE WEST WING TODAY.
>> IT ABSOLUTELY WAS, HALLIE.
AND YOU SAW A NUMBER OF HIS
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS
GATHERED BEHIND ME AS THE
PRESIDENT WAS SPEAKING, THERE TO
APPLAUD HIM, BOTH AS HE CAME OUT
PROSECUTE RESIDENCE, WHERE HE'S
BEEN IN ISOLATION FOR FIVE DAYS,
AND THEN AGAIN WHEN HE
SYMBOLICALLY WALKED INTO THE
OVAL OFFICE, A STATEMENT THAT HE
IS NOW GETTING BACK TO WORK.
AND HE DID UNDERSCORE AND TOUT
HIS ADMINISTRATION'S RESPONSE TO
THIS PANDEMIC.
THAT WAS, OF COURSE, CORE TO HIS
CAMPAIGN.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE
NOW HAVE VACCINES AND BOOSTER
SHOTS AND CALLED OUT AMERICANS
TO GET DOUBLE BOOSTED, IF THEY
ARE, IN FACT, ELIGIBLE.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT
PAXLOVID IS NOW SOMETHING THAT
YOU CAN TAKE AT HOME, WHICH HE
DID FOR FIVE DAYS.
AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT
THAT WE NOW HAVE MORE RESOURCES,
MASKS ARE MORE READILY
AVAILABLE, AND THERE HAS BEEN
MORE RESEARCH POURED INTO
FIGHTING THIS VIRUS, INCLUDING
AT-HOME TESTS, HALLIE, WHICH
THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS
DISTRIBUTED.
NOW, IT IS ALSO NOTABLE THAT AT
THE VERY END, HE SAID HE'D
RECENTLY HAD A MEETING WHILE HE
WAS IN ISOLATION ABOUT THE NEXT
GENERATION OF VACCINES.
AND OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S BEEN A
LOT OF FOCUS ON THAT AND WHETHER
THEY COULD PREVENT GETTING SICK
WITH COVID ALTOGETHER.
SO IF THE FOCUS IS ON THAT, I
HEARD EXACTLY WHAT YOU HEARD,
WHICH IS THAT SHARP CONTRAST HE
DREW WITH HIS PREDECESSOR.
THE FACT THAT FORMER PRESIDENT
TRUMP WAS TAKEN TO WALTER REED
MEDICAL CENTER.
HE SAID, I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO
BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL OF THESE
RESOURCES.
BUT IT DOES COME ON THE SAME
WEEK, HALLIE, WHERE PRESIDENT
BIDEN TOOK AIM AT HIS
PREDECESSOR OVER SOMETHING VERY
DIFFERENT.
JANUARY 6th, JUST A FEW DAYS
AGO.
OF COURSE, YOU AND I HAVE BEEN
REPORTING ON, EXTENSIVELY.
SO THAT WAS A NOTABLE CONTRAST
THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN RAISED, AND
HE NOW GOES BACK TO WORK.
>> KRISTEN, THANK YOU.
IN THE COUPLE OF SECONDS WE HAVE
LEFT, I WANT TO BRING IN NBC
MEDICAL CONTRIBUTOR, DR. NATALIE
AZAR.
DR. AZAR, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU
HEARD THAT YOU MIGHT RECOMMEND
DOING DIFFERENTLY IF PRESIDENT
BIDEN WAS YOUR PATIENT, OR IS HE
TAKING THE APPROPRIATE STEPS
NOW, RECOVERING FROM COVID AND
RETURNING TO THE PUBLIC STAGE.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, HE'S CERTAINLY
FOLLOWING CDC GUIDANCE HERE,
HALLIE.
HE IS ALLOWED TO BE OUT OF
ISOLATION.
HE WILL BE WEARING A
WELL-FITTING MASK ANYTIME HE IS
INDOORS WITH OTHER PEOPLE FOR A
TOTAL DURATION OF TEN DAYS.
AS DR. O'CONNOR, HIS DOCTOR,
COMMENTED IN HIS NEWS BRIEF
TODAY, THEY ARE GOING TO
INCREASE THE CADENCE OF HIS
TESTING, LOOKING OUT VERY
CAREFULLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF
DAYS, UP TO A WEEK, FOR ANY
SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS AND CERTAINLY
ANTIGEN TESTING THAT WOULD
INDICATE ANY REBOUND.
AND I WANT TO FINISH BY SAYING,
WHAT REALLY RESONATED TO ME IS
THAT HE WAS COUCHING COVID-19 AS
A VACCINE-PREVENTABLE ILLNESS,
AND REALLY, I THINK, DID A GOOD
JOB OUTLINING ALL OF THE STEPS
THE ADMINISTRATION HAS TAKEN TO
MAKE BOOSTERS AND TESTING AND
TREATMENTS AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC, SO THAT HIS TREATMENT
WAS NOT JUST UNIQUE TO HIM BEING
THE PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.
>> DR. NATALIE AZAR, THANK YOU
SO MUCH.
PRESIDENT BIDEN, AGAIN, IN THE
ROSE GARDEN THIS MORNING FOR THE
FIRST TIME NOW, BACK IN PUBLIC
SINCE TESTING POSITIVE FOR
COVID.
THAT DOES IT FOR OUR NBC NEWS
SPECIAL REPORT.
WE'LL HAVE MORE TONIGHT, OF
COURSE, ON "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS."
FOR ALL OF US HERE AT NBC, I'M
HALLIE JACKSON.