Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, talks to the media beyond the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC, February 3, 2021.
Saul Loeb|AFP|Getty Images
Sen Chris Coons, D-Del, stated Thursday that he checked favorable for Covid-19, ending up being the 10 th member of Congress to contract the infection this month as the fast spread of the omicron alternative triggers a boost in case rates nationally.
Also Thursday, the Pentagon stated that 7 staffers checked favorable for Covid after accompanying Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks on a journey recently that saw her go to military setups in Michigan, Colorado, Hawaii, California andNebraska Hicks herself “tested negative, as have members of her immediate personal staff,” stated Pentagon press secretary John Kirby.
Coons’ disclosure of his favorable test came a day after House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., stated he checked favorable for the coronavirus. Clyburn, 81, stated that he is asymptomatic. He stated he is totally immunized and had a booster shot in September.
Clyburn was with President Joe Biden on Friday throughout winter season graduation at South Carolina State University.
Biden, 79, checked unfavorable for Covid on Wednesday, the 3rd test he has actually gotten today. On Monday, Biden got a test after discovering he had actually touched with a White House staffer who checked favorable.
Biden’s close brush with Covid was not the only one at the White House today. Vice President Kamala Harris likewise checked unfavorable after remaining in close contact with a staffer who checked favorable for Covid, her workplace stated Wednesday night.
Coons has actually not remained in distance to Biden, his fellow Delaware Democrat, in the previous week, according to a spokesperson for the senator.
The string of favorable tests for members of Congress, in addition to the Pentagon staffers, highlights the increased threat federal government authorities deal with as they perform their tasks in the middle of the more infectious omicron version’s increase. While Biden and lots of congressional leaders deal with a greater threat of serious disease since of their age, vaccines and booster shots would be anticipated to minimize their possibilities of hospitalization.
Coons in a declaration stated that he has “minimal symptoms so far” and is “positive I will recuperate well after separating and following [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] CDC standards.”
“Like millions of other families, it seems we’ll also be wrestling with another holiday spent on Zoom and cancelled plans for travel or gathering,” stated Coons, who likewise prompted individuals to get checked routinely and to “get vaccinated and boosted if you haven’t already.”
On Sunday, 2 other Democratic senators, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey, stated they checked favorable forCovid Both senators stated they had moderate signs.
Since the start of December, 7 House of Representatives members have actually checked favorable for Covid: Brett Guthrie, R-Ky, Jason Crow, D-Colo, Matt Cartwright, D-Penn, Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., Barbara Lee, D-Calif, Antonio Delgado, D-N.Y., andClyburn
Covid’s omicron version initially was identified in southern Africa in late November, however quickly ended up being the most dominant pressure in the UnitedStates The alternative made up 73% of the sequenced Covid cases in the U.S., according to CDC information released Monday.
Three brand-new research studies show that the version might be less most likely to lead to hospitalization, and appears to lead to milder signs than previous variations.
