Joe Biden was seen cautiously walking down the stairs of Air Force One last night after revealing he had Covid and being removed from the campaign trail.
The image of the president limping as he is helped into a car has raised further questions about his health as pressure mounts for him to resign.
Now doctors are warning that at 81, Biden is among the age groups most at risk for debilitating and lingering symptoms from the virus, including brain fog, fatigue and muscle aches that make movement difficult — perhaps explaining his stiffer-than-usual gait last night.
They told DailyMail.com they expect Biden to make a full recovery, thanks to the fact that he is relatively slim, exercises, has natural immunity from previous infections, has been vaccinated multiple times and is taking the anti-Covid drug Paxlovid.
But doctors fear his advanced age, myriad underlying conditions and the medications he takes — an irregular heart rhythm, history of aneurysm and prescription blood thinners — mean it could take weeks, if not months, for the president to get better.
President Biden spoke this week at the 115th annual NAACP convention in Las Vegas before fleeing to Delaware to recover from Covid.
Doctors told DailyMail.com that President Biden’s condition is worrying, although the chances of it becoming fatal are low.
But the risk of dying from Covid worsens with age. CDC data show that as of October 2022, the death rate among adults aged 85 and older was more than 2.8 times higher than that of adults aged 75 to 84, and seven times higher than that of adults aged 65 to 74.
A staggering 90 percent of Covid deaths in 2023 occurred in people over 65.
But the overall risk of death has plummeted as the pandemic has spread. For example, there were just 259 deaths in the week ending June 29.
This compares with 3,000 to 15,000 in summer 2021.
Still, Dr. Ernst Von Schwarz, a prominent cardiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said Biden’s doctors should advise him to “take it easy,” which could force him out of the race.
Dr Von Schwarz told DailyMail.com that Covid, for older people, remains unpleasant. “It can take your energy out. And it doesn’t just affect the lungs,” he said.
“It is a systemic inflammatory response, as a result of infection by the virus, which means it can affect the heart, brain and blood vessels.”
This can translate into slower thinking, difficulty walking normally and difficulty concentrating — conditions Biden was accused of struggling with before being diagnosed.
‘Of course, I would tell any patient, especially those considered to be at high risk, to take it easy.
“He needs a lot of rest, a lot of hydration. And in President Biden’s case, he’s on certain medications, which he has to address or even stop taking because he’s obviously on Paxlovid right now.”
Biden has several health markers that work in your favorHowever, he is relatively slim, with a body mass index (BMI) of 24.1, which is within what is considered a normal weight range. He also exercises about five days a week.
Biden is also receiving the best medical care in the world, including the drug Paxlovid, and has received several booster shots over the years.
It is also possible that your previous Covid infection caused your body to create antibodies. that recognize and combat the virus If he attacks again.
Researchers in Oregon reported that most adults have antibodies more than 12 months after contracting Covid, and prior infection offers strong and long-lasting protection against reinfection.
All of these factors turn Covid “from wild to mild,” according to Dr. William Schaffner, a leading infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Dr. Schaffner added that any persistent symptoms of COVID, such as brain fog and difficulty concentrating, “would be a concern for any health care provider caring for someone 65 years or older.”
Those are things that would lead to recommendations from the health care provider about how long the patient needs to recover and that kind of thing.”
And when asked if he is concerned about the impact of this infection on Biden’s cognition, whether he will experience brain fog and mobility issues, Dr. Von Schwarz said, “All of the above.”
He added: “He has underlying cardiovascular disease and he is older. So these are two important risk factors. And in general, especially age, is the main determinant of worse outcomes for any disease.”
“It’s the same as when you have a bad flu, you feel bad, you feel sluggish, you feel weak. People have, as you mentioned, brain fog. Will it affect your ability to work? Absolutely. Can you stand for long hours or stay up all night? Absolutely not.”
Few issues are more important to voters than Biden’s advancing age and his ability to prevent a second Trump term. Many are now urging him to consider dropping out of the race.
He traveled to his home in Delaware to isolate and recover, while continuing to carry out his daily duties as president.
But a week of rest may not be enough to get Biden back into campaign shape, doctors said.
Dr Von Schwarz said: “The problem is that if people don’t fully recover and their immune system is somewhat weakened, that just opens the door to infections or complications later on.
“So if I have someone of your age and general fitness level, with underlying cardiovascular issues, I’ll tell them to take it easy, they can’t travel, they shouldn’t work, they should get plenty of rest. Make sure they’re getting proper nutrition and take it easy for at least 10 to 14 days, if not longer.”
Biden is in the second most vulnerable age group to severe Covid-19 infection. But Biden has been vaccinated several times with booster doses and has started taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid. The infection is not expected to prove fatal.
Biden’s doctor has said the president does not have a fever. His symptoms include nasal congestion, a nonproductive cough and “general malaise.” His vital signs and respiratory rate are normal.
Biden has said the only reason he would drop out of the race would be a formal recommendation from his doctor. Dr. Schaffner said the decision would be made based on a number of issues, but would likely not be a result of his Covid infection.
According to Biden’s doctors, he has no fever and his respiratory rate is normal, as are his vital signs.
His symptoms included a runny nose, a nonproductive cough and “general malaise,” the statement said.
So far, his medical team has not offered any information to the public to suggest he is incapacitated and should reconsider his plans to remain in the White House.
But according to Dr. Von Schwarz, this diagnosis could be “a blessing that could give them a way out if they want to get out of that race.”
The president’s doctors may want to refrain from wading into politics, particularly on this hot-button issue, and choose not to make a formal recommendation based on his Covid diagnosis.
But you may also be given more lenient advice given your job — telling you it’s perfectly safe to attend a campaign event after a week of isolation, for example.
Dr. von Schwarz said: ‘The number one goal should be, of course, to take care of your patients rather than any political agenda, which means, in other words, I think your personal physicians should tell you to take it easy.
‘I mean, you’re not young, you have underlying diseases. And any infection can be a problem, not just in the short term.
“So I think the number one goal should be for any health care provider who is caring for the President to give him the advice that they would give to anyone else in that situation, which should be to take it easy, rest and take a step back a little bit.”
