Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Monday he tested positive for the coronavirus as part of routine testing, joining members of Congress on the roster of high-profile politicians who caught the pathogen amid a winter surge.
“This morning, as part of my regular testing routine, I received a positive rapid test for COVID-19. I have been vaccinated and boosted, and I am feeling fine at the moment,” Mr. Hogan, a Republican, tweeted. “As the omicron variant becomes dominant, I want to urge you to get vaccinated or get your booster shot as soon as possible.”
He joins Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory A. Booker of New Jersey, who also recently tested positive, and Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat who announced a positive result after returning from a trip to Ukraine.
Like Mr. Hogan, all of the lawmakers emphasized that while their vaccinations and boosters shots did not prevent infection, they are feeling only mild symptoms.
Reports of infections in vaccinated persons skyrocketed over the summer, as immunity from earlier vaccinations waned and the fast-moving delta variant took hold.
President Biden in recent days has emphasized the greater likelihood of severe illness and death among the unvaccinated instead of promising vaccinated persons they won’t get infected at all. He plans to address the latest threat, the omicron variant, on Tuesday.
Vaccine skeptics have pointed to instances of infection among the vaccinated to question the shots’ worth. But politicians and other public voices, including CNBC host Jim Cramer, say the vaccines have likely staved off an even more severe bout.
“Thankfully, I am only experiencing mild symptoms & am grateful for the protection provided against serious illness that comes from being vaccinated & boosted,” Ms. Warren tweeted. “As cases increase across the country, I urge everyone who has not already done so to get the vaccine and the booster as soon as possible — together, we can save lives.”
Maryland health officials, citing increased hospitalization rates and other data, say the state is experiencing a surge in cases of COVID-19. But the state has put daily figures on new cases and deaths on hold since a cybersecurity breach of the Maryland Health Department earlier this month.
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
Health, The New York Today
