by President Joe Biden, 80, was declared healthy and “fit for work” after a physical this week, which included the removal of lesions from his chest.
White House physician Kevin O’Connor said in a summary of the health check that the president “remains fit for duty and fully discharges all of his responsibilities without any waivers or accommodations.”
“A small lesion on the president’s chest was excised today and sent for a traditional biopsy,” O’Connor was quoted as saying by Reuters.
The summary also said that the president does not appear to be experiencing symptoms associated with “long COVID” and that his stiff gait has not worsened since his November 2021 exam.
During his recent physical, the President had several small skin growths removed from his face and head using liquid nitrogen.
By Reuters:
The scan was closely watched as Biden prepared for his expected run to a second term in 2024. The summary said Biden has not had any symptoms of “long COVID” and that his stiff gait has not worsened since his last scan in November 2021 .
Biden takes the statin Crestor to keep his cholesterol levels low, an anticoagulant in response to atrial fibrillation that remains asymptomatic, and medications to treat seasonal allergies and acid reflux, the summary said.
The summary found Biden’s weight dropped by six pounds, from 184 pounds in 2021 to 178. His body mass index was at 24.1 compared to 25.0 in 2021, and his blood pressure was at 126/78 compared with 120/70 in 2021.
The exam did not include a cognitive test for the president. Cognition has increasingly become a concern among Democrats and Republicans alike as he announces his 2024 candidacy. If he finally runs and secures a second term, he will not only be the longest-serving president in US history, but also the oldest president in US history to serve two consecutive terms.
“This is a president who works day in and day out, you know, in a grueling way with a grueling schedule, and he delivers,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll recently found that “three-quarters of Americans — including more than half of Democrats and the vast majority of Republicans — say Biden is too old to work in government.”
“Most Democratic respondents said the president remains mentally sharp, but about half said they can’t handle the physical weight of the presidency,” the poll noted.
