Biden to receive annual physical on Friday

President Biden will visit Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday morning to receive his annual physical, the White House said.

“Later this morning, the President will travel to Walter Reed Medical Center for his routine annual physical. We will provide more details after he arrives at Walter Reed,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a brief statement to reporters early Friday morning.

The White House said in May that Biden would receive his physical later this year, but since has provided no specific details on when it would happen until now.

Biden last released results of a medical assessment in December 2019 during the presidential campaign. That assessment was completed by his longtime physician, Kevin O’Connor, whom Biden has tapped to serve as the top physician in the White House.

Biden, who will be 79 on Saturday, is the oldest president in U.S. history. Former President Trump, who himself is 75, sought to make Biden’s fitness for office an issue during the 2020 presidential campaign.

The White House traditionally releases a summary of the physical sometime after it is completed. Trump was scrutinized during his tenure due to the lack of transparency around his health information.

Biden fractured his foot in November 2020 while playing with his dog, but he has not had any health incidents while in the White House. The president sometimes exhibits a cough, which Psaki has attributed to allergies.

The White House is taking precautions to protect Biden from COVID-19. Employees of the West Wing and other parts of the federal government are required to be vaccinated. Journalists and guests who come in close contact with Biden are tested for COVID-19 beforehand. Biden, who was vaccinated with Pfizer’s vaccine, received his booster in late September just after they were authorized.