Yahoo Finance President Biden Returns to Kiawah Island for Family Vacation Weeks After Testing Positive for COVID
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President Joe Biden is in Kiawah Island, South Carolina, for a family vacation weeks after testing positive for COVID-19.
On Wednesday, Biden, 79, and first lady Dr. Jill Biden, 71, were joined by family members including his grandson. They waved to a large crowd as they walked to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.
During the first week of August, Biden was cleared to return to public duties after being diagnosed with COVID-19 for the second time.
His physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, announced that Biden was cleared to emerge from isolation in a letter shared Sunday, writing, "This morning, the President's SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing was negative for a second consecutive day."
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"He will safely return to public engagement and presidential travel," he added.
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Biden has not been to Kiawah Island since taking office in January 2021, but visited the quaint beach town regularly while vice president.
Only about 13 square miles, Kiawah Island is home to roughly 1,600 people and best known as a private beach and golfing destination.
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"I think he feels at home here. It's a place he's come for so many years to vacation. And he can enjoy a certain amount of insulation without being totally insulated," Dick Harpootlian, a South Carolina state senator and a longtime Biden political confidant, told CBS.
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"I remember when he was VP and I came down to play golf with him, he could move around without drawing a crowd if he wanted to," he added.
Biden is expected to be at Kiawah Island with him family until next Tuesday, before heading to homes he has in Delaware to continue his summer break.
