Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren tested positive with a breakthrough case of COVID-19 Sunday despite testing negative earlier in the week.
The Massachusetts senator announced via social media that she is experiencing mild symptoms from the virus and is thankful that she had been fully vaccinated and received the booster shot. She recommended that all Americans receive their three shots in the near future to “save lives.”
“I regularly test for COVID & while I tested negative earlier this week, today I tested positive with a breakthrough case,” the senator tweeted. “Thankfully, I am only experiencing mild symptoms & am grateful for the protection provided against serious illness that come from being vaccinated and boosted.”
“As cases increase across the country, I urge everyone who has not already done so to get a vaccine and the booster as soon as possible-together, we can save lives,” the senator said via Twitter. (RELATED: Even With Breakthrough Cases, The Data Doesn’t Seem To Support Mask Mandates For Vaccinated People)
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. https://t.co/lyVapoCE3A
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) December 19, 2021
The senator lost her older brother, Donald Reed Herring, to COVID in April 2020, at 86-years-old. She expressed her gratitude toward the medical professionals that worked to care for her brother although she could not be present to say goodbye.
Warren testing positive is the most recent of several cases where fully vaccinated officials have tested positive. In late October, White House press secretary Jen Psaki tested positive for the virus and quarantined for 10 days. A White House aide who traveled internationally with President Joe Biden also tested positive in early November.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not frequently track breakthrough cases, making any knowledge on the frequency and symptoms of these cases impossible to know. The agency does say, however, that the vaccine is not 100% effective but reduces the risk of serious illness.