‘You Are Contagious’: CNN Medical Analyst Says It’s ‘Surprising’ Biden Was Maskless After Testing Positive for Covid

CNN medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner said on Wednesday it was “surprising” to see images of President Joe Biden boarding Air Force One without wearing a mask just minutes after it was announced the 81-year-old tested positive for Covid-19.

Biden was said to have been feeling mostly fine and did not have a fever but would cancel a number of campaign events and travel to Delaware to isolate from others.

On CNN’s The Situation Room , host Wolf Blitzer welcomed Reiner on to discuss the president’s case of the virus and to get his professional opinion as to how Covid might affect him at his advanced age .

“How does someone who’s that – age 81 years old, upper respiratory problems as described by the White House physician and other issues, a runny nose – how does that impact someone at that age?” Blitzer asked.

“I think, fortunately, Wolf, we are a different place than we were back in 2020 before we had access to vaccines,” Reiner responded. “Now, the president has received probably at least five doses of vaccine, as a lot of us have and he has also had the virus once.”

Blitzer briefly interrupted his guest to show a live video feed of Biden exiting his vehicle and boarding his plane surrounded by at least 10 other individuals. The president was not wearing a mask and was in close proximity to those around him.

“Dr. Reiner, we’re seeing live pictures of the president boarding Air Force One and right now, and what jumped out at me and I’m sure to others as well, I didn’t see him wearing a mask as he was with those other people on the tarmac there,” Blitzer said. “What does that say to you?”

Reiner replied, “Well, I think anyone who has active Covid now should wear a mask. That’s not controversial. That’s just, that’s courteous. If you have Covid, now you are contagious. So that’s surprising that he wouldn’t be wearing a mask with Covid at this time.”

Biden’s doctor issued the following statement about his condition on Wednesday afternoon:

The President presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorrhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general malaise. He felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point-of-care testing for COVID-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus. Given this, the President will be self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals. PCR confirmation testing will be pending. His symptoms remain mild, his respiratory rate is normal at 16, his temperature is normal at 97.8 and his pulse oximetry is normal at 97%. The President has received his first dose of Paxlovid. He will be self-isolating at his home in Rehoboth.

Watch above via CNN.