The Conversation (0)
Ariana Baio
Mar 14, 2022
Former President Barack Obama Says He Tested Positive For COVID-19
Independent
Former President Barack Obama announced on Sunday he had tested positive for Covid-19 via Twitter which led to an outpouring of love from supporters and colleagues.
The 60-year-old former president had spent much of the past winter in his home state of Hawaii but returned to Washington D.C. recently.
"I just tested positive for COVID. 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." Obama said in the tweet.
As soon as news broke that Obama was positive for Covid, celebrities, journalists and politicians sent well wishes and kind thoughts to the president and his wife.
Wishing you a fast and full recovery, Mr. President. Thank you for sharing this news. An excellent and much-needed reminder that the pandemic is still very much with us, and we should continue to take precautions. I'm relieved you are well-protected by vaccination.— Eden Riegel (@Eden Riegel) 1647200881
"Love you," actress Kathy Griffin said.
"Get well soon, brotha" actor and comedian Martin Lawerence tweeted at the president.
Hope you make a fast & full recovery, @BarackObama, & that @MichelleObama stays healthy.— Tatiana Prowell, MD (@Tatiana Prowell, MD) 1647200564
"Feel better soon Mr. President. The world still very much needs you." Tweeted epidemiologist Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding.
Even the well-known internet cat, Lorenzo, sent the former president well wishes in a tweet, "I have HOPE that you will be just fine, sir".
Sign up for our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter
Obama's Covid infection marks the second former US president to get the illness, the first of course was Donald Trump in 2020.
Last summer, Obama was set to throw a large 60th birthday bash with more than 200 people in attendance which was received with much backlash as many worried it would be a super-spreader event. The Obama's chose to 'scale back' the celebration in return.
Both Barack and Michelle are vaccinated and advocate for US citizens to get jabbed too in order to prevent severe illness. Despite the newer variants of Covid producing less-severe symptoms, there is always a possibility of chronic or severe symptoms without any vaccinations.
Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.