Former U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Obama said Sunday, March 13, 2022, he has tested positive for the coronavirus. (Alberto Pezzali)
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Former president Barack Obama said Sunday he has tested positive for the coronavirus, noting that his symptoms appeared mild so far.
“I just tested positive for COVID,” Obama said on Twitter. “I’ve had a scratchy throat for a couple days, but am feeling fine otherwise. Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted, and she has tested negative.”
“It’s a reminder to get vaccinated if you haven’t already, even as cases go down,” he added.
Coronavirus cases in the United States have fallen to their lowest levels since last July, but more than 9,000 Americans per week continue to die of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to data tracked by The Washington Post. Nearly 1 million people in the United States have died of the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance this month that eased recommendations on mask-wearing for people in parts of the United States with low coronavirus transmission rates. Some have criticized the agency’s decision, arguing that the omicron and other variants of the coronavirus are highly transmissible, while noting that the elderly, immunocompromised people and those still ineligible for vaccination remain at risk.
