President Joe Biden has contracted COVID-19 again, prompting concerns due to his age, experts said Wednesday.
At 81, Biden is at higher risk for severe disease. Despite his age, his strong vaccination record and immediate medical care increase his chances of a mild response to the virus, experts noted.
“You’re always concerned when an older person gets COVID,” said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center and attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “But he’s certainly in the best possible position. He’s been vaccinated. He’s taking Paxlovid early. He certainly has good medical care.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that individuals over 65 account for more than 81% of COVID-19 deaths. The death rate for this age group is 97 times higher than for those aged 18 to 29. The risk of severe illness also increases for those with other health conditions.
However, Dr. Daniel Griffin, an infectious disease specialist at Optum in New York, said Biden’s vaccinations and prompt treatment reduce his risk of severe disease to about 1%. “Still, the risk isn’t zero,” Griffin added.
“It’s a mixed picture,” he explained. “As a man with some heart disease, his risk is somewhat increased. But he also leads an active life. This is not a debilitated person in a nursing home. Most deaths are still occurring in an immune-compromised, debilitated population.”
‘Our immune system changes as we get older’
Hospitalizations and emergency room visits are much less frequent now compared to January when more than 2,000 people a week died from COVID. As of June 15, the CDC estimated fewer than 150 people died from COVID-19.
Griffin expressed concern about Biden’s long-term recovery. “My real concern is two weeks or a month from now when Biden — or anyone his age — might not fully bounce back from an infection. Each episode of COVID-19 doesn’t predict the next one.”
Biden first tested positive on July 21, 2022, with mild symptoms. Nine days later, he tested positive again in a virus “rebound” sometimes seen in patients treated with Paxlovid, according to his doctor.
Aging impacts the body’s ability to fight infection. “People sometimes forget,” Griffin said. “Our immune system changes as we get older. What might be sniffles and something minor for a teenager or someone in their 20s is always different for an older person.”
