"In this political season, people of all parties are out shaking hands. Someone gave him COVID as well as a handshake," Dr William Schaffner, professor of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University tells Inside Edition.
President Joe Biden is isolating at his home in Delaware after being diagnosed with COVID.
The 81-year-old president had been scheduled to speak to Latino voters on Wednesday afternoon in Las Vegas before the announcement on his condition.
Before cutting his campaign short, Biden shook hands with patrons at a Las Vegas restaurant and posed for pictures.
"In this political season, people of all parties, they are out shaking hands. Somebody gave him COVID as well as a handshake," Dr William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine tells Inside Edition.
The White House says Biden is experiencing "mild upper respiratory symptoms" and is taking Paxlovid.
Biden's COVID diagnosis came as pressure mounts for him to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
Top Democrats believe Biden will exit the presidential race "as soon as this weekend," Axios reported.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that former President Barack Obama has recently told allies that President Biden's path to victory has greatly diminished and he thinks Biden needs to seriously consider the viability of his candidacy. A spokesperson for Obama refused to comment on the report.
