The breaking news of the day? Joe Biden, old man with multiple booster vaccinations, has contracted COVID-19.

“This morning, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a written statement. “He is fully vaccinated and twice boosted and experiencing very mild symptoms. He has begun taking Paxlovid. Consistent with CDC guidelines, he will isolate at the White House and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. He has been in contact with members of the White House staff by phone this morning, and will participate in his planned meetings at the White House this morning via phone and Zoom from the residence.”

“Consistent with White House protocol for positive COVID cases, which goes above and beyond CDC guidance, he will continue to work in isolation until he tests negative,” Jean-Pierre continued. “Once he tests negative, he will return to in-person work.”

“Out of an abundance of transparency, the White House will provide a daily update on the President’s status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation,” she said.”

Now, because Biden is elderly, his condition is obviously going to be carefully monitored. And as noted by others, the administration of Paxlovid will also have to be watched for any potential medication interactions with whatever else Biden is currently taking.

Now, let me just say at the outset that I hope Joe Biden recovers completely from COVID-19. (Although watch – any future gaffes that Biden produces be automatically blamed on long COVID by the media, I’m just going to call it now.) And everyone who doesn’t feel motivated to wish old Grandpa Joe a quick recovery, let me just remind you of three words: President Kamala Harris. So, get well, Joe!

This should also be an illustrative moment for the COVID faithful on Twitter. You know, the ones who treat avoiding COVID like an actual religion, full of rites and signs, and who wear a mask at all times to show you how holy and obedient they are. Biden has likely contracted a highly contagious Omicron variant, but as we know, Omicron has proven to be far less deadly. This really needs to show everyone still out there, thinking that IF they just keep wearing masks and doing all the “right” things that they can avoid COVID, it’s impossible to do so. We have GOT to be able to live our lives as normally as possible. You know, like Jill Biden!

. @FLOTUS tested NEGATIVE this morning, her spokesman tells me. She is continuing her travel schedule in Detroit and later Georgia. She IS considered a close contact to @POTUS. I am told she will wear a mask and social distance.

— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) July 21, 2022

Yes, Jill is OUTTA THERE! She’s got a schedule to keep! The responses on Twitter are mixed between people telling her to stay home in quarantine, to people obviously mocking her the way reasonable people who refused to stay in lockdown freaked out – “OMG SHE’S KILLING GRANDMA!” The media, however, is giving Jill a pass right now, even though she is obviously a “close contact” to old Joe. I mean, she HAS to hold his hand to get him off stages and everything. Now, imagine if Melania Trump had tested negative and kept a travel schedule. Would the media be so kind to Melania, she asked rhetorically? *snort*

You want proof of that? Biden is remaining in the White House while he recovers. Just look at how the media reacted when Trump returned to the White House from Walter Reed after being treated for COVID-19.

PBS is there fear and anger in the White House because President Biden has COVID? https://t.co/h5yKJeWoND

— Shem Horne (@Shem_Infinite) July 21, 2022

There’s plenty of receipts. So, how is the media reacting to Biden staying put?

The number of aides who staff the White House residence will be reduced to the "bare minimum" following President Biden's positive Covid-19 diagnosis, an official tells CNN. That’s where he’ll be isolating for the foreseeable future instead of going to Wilmington as planned.

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) July 21, 2022

Meanwhile, all those people who were with Biden just yesterday as he said he had cancer (more spin involved trying to explain THAT gaffe away) up in Massachusetts are probably regretting that photo-op right about now.

Among those who traveled with Biden on Air Force One to Massachusetts were Massachusetts Democrats Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Jake Auchincloss and Rep. Bill Keating.”

U.S. special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry, Markey and Warren were photographed applauding in folding chairs while listening to Biden’s outdoor speech. Meanwhile, Auchincloss tweeted photos of himself shaking hands with Biden and posing for pictures while in close proximity to the president on Air Force One on Wednesday.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was also on Air Force One with the president Wednesday.”

She will still hold a press briefing with the White House Press Pool on Thursday afternoon, joined by COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha.”

Other Biden administration officials on the plane with the president Wednesday were Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff; Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President and Director of Oval Office Operations; Gina McCarthy, Assistant to the President and National Climate Advisor; Vinay Reddy, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting; Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President and Personal Aide to the President; Curtis Reid, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs; and Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President and Trip Director.”

That’s a whole lot of people. Will all of them get sick, or even test positive? Probably not. Is the media going to demand a quarantine for every single person in that close contact list? Probably not.

Ironically for the Democrats and their perpetual emergency, Joe Biden getting COVID-19 might be the worst thing possible. If he recovers, as we should all hope he does, then why are we still in a state of emergency? Why is the San Diego Unified School District re-instituting a mask mandate for students? If the elderly president can get COVID and recover thanks to the medical advancements and developments, then why should the rest of us live in a state of constant panic? The air in the argument for a forever pandemic is automatically sucked out of the room the second Joe Biden recovers and tests negative once more.

Should Biden recover and return to his usual addled-grandpa state, COVID is officially over. It has been over for a long time, but this should be the end of the argument. The COVID faithful will never admit that their new god is dead, but those of us who live in the real world should move on and treat COVID-19 like any other contagious respiratory virus. Don’t spread your germs. Wash your hands. Stay home if you’re sick. Take medication if necessary. We’re done here.

Featured image: Rendering of Covid test vial via Pixabay, cropped and modified, Pixabay license