Conditions Continue To Improve From COVID-19: President Biden Hopes To Talk To Chinese President, Returns To Normal Weekend Activities

United States President Joe Biden. (Wikimedia Commons/The White House)

JAKARTA - United States President Joe Biden said his condition continued to improve from the COVID-19 infection, hoping to be able to return to normal activities over the weekend and be able to speak with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

President Biden held a virtual event with semiconductor manufacturers and several top administration officials to promote legislation aimed at increasing chip production in the United States. His voice was hoarse but he looked healthy.

"I feel great. I've slept two full nights," said Biden, who tested positive for the coronavirus last Thursday and has been treated with the antiviral drug Paxlovid.

With wife Jill out of town, President Biden said his dog nudged him in the chest Monday morning and woke him up.

"I feel good. My voice is still hoarse," he told reporters.

He said he hopes to return to work in person by the end of the week, while remaining on a full schedule from the White House residence from approximately 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Separately, the doctor who treated President Biden, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, said in a memo issued by the White House, the president's symptoms "are now almost completely cured."

"When questioned, at this time he only noted some residual nasal congestion and minimal hoarseness," O'Connor said.

In his memo, O'Connor confirmed that Biden's lungs remained clear and that he was responding well to treatment. Over the weekend, doctors said Biden's cough and body aches had eased and he was not short of breath.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference that Biden had only mild symptoms and that with vaccines and treatments, the COVID-19 infection was not as serious as two years ago.

"He's managing this, he's reacting to treatment really well," he said.

While citing Kyodo News, President Biden at the same time hopes to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping, possibly by online video call or phone call later this week.

Last Wednesday, President Biden hoped to speak with President Xi Jinping in the next 10 days, which if materialized would be the two leaders' first talks, after talks in March.