Former President Barack Obama tests positive for Covid-19

[SouthBayDem]

Source: CNN

Former President Barack Obama announced Sunday that he has tested positive for Covid-19.

"I've had a scratchy throat for a couple days, but am feeling fine otherwise," he said on his official Twitter account. Obama also said that his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, has tested negative.

"Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted," the former President said in a Facebook post. "It's a good reminder that, even as cases go down, you should get vaccinated and boosted if you haven't already to help prevent more serious symptoms and giving COVID to others."

Obama, 60, had recently returned to Washington, DC, after spending much of the winter in Hawaii. He tested positive in DC, a person close to him said.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/13/politics/barack-obama-covid-positive/index.html

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Edited at 9pm ET to reflect CNN's updates.

President Obama's Twitter announcement:

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.

The original tweet follows:

Link to tweet

[Cha]

1. Wishing the very beat

Recovery to Pres Obama!

💙💛

[ffr]

21. +1

I don't want to be in a world without President Obama, but with Russian treason-weasel tRump!

[Cha]

23. It's Enough of a Twilight Zone..

as it is, frr.

💙💛

[thinkingagain]

2. At least I'm in good company

As I also home tested positive this morning. Vaxxed and boosted. Hoping all good. So speedy recovery to all.

[wnylib]

10. Just wondering about your age bracket.

I understand if you don't want to give it, but I am concerned about the higher vulnerability of people over 60 to getting infected and having more serious cases, even if they are vaccinated and boosted.

Hope you recover quickly with no lasting side effects.

[thinkingagain]

13. Thanx for your concern and kind words

I am just under 60.
I have few concerns. I am defiantly not in good shape like Pres. Obama but I’m not high risk so in the past talking about it my doctor thought I’d be fine. So I think I will be mostly ok.
One worry hubby he is diabetic he was home this weekend his job has him living elsewhere mostly.
Good news is so far everyone I was around yesterday so far has tested neg.
I’m pretty good about masking (not the n95 one tho)

[wnylib]

20. Thanks for the feedback. Looks like you have

a good chance of recovering well. Hope your husband does not get it.

[Hekate]

3. All the best to Barack and Michelle Obama!

[Rebl2]

4. Get

well soon President Obama! We still need you in our lives!

[Ferrets are Cool]

5. News that the Queen AND President Obama can and have recently gotten Covid

is a perfect reason for me to keep double masking every time I leave the house.

[SheltieLover]

7. Absolutely!

Parts of China on COVID lockdown again.

Eric Feigl-Ding
@DrEricDing
· 3h
9) UPDATE—the 13-million population city of Shenzhen has locked down! With all non-essential enterprises stop operating, or required to work from home. Buses and subways all suspended. Govt services shut down except for epidemic essential staff. Holy shit.
https://ishare.ifeng.com/c/s/v006LBcjcBx5P--xcc--HYZv1mk8FDl1bRJGiivgHPYm-_g--enqKX1uH8FpSa4kJI2aLfNHV7WLYfQWyvDMxaCizZ4flg____?spss=np&channelId=&aman=d7Ibc8idd5naac1aecS98aA614H916G925ud097bd1
Show this thread

😷

[Ferrets are Cool]

8. Hey SL

[Laura PourMeADrink]

25. And heard covid bad in Germany. Omicron variant.

[SheltieLover]

6. Wishing him well!

[JI7]

9. This is why I will continue to wear mask in certain places

People are and can still get it. Personally I'm also more worried about long covid than dying from it.

[wnylib]

19. Same here. I recently heard an NPR program

about the effects of and treatments for long covid. They emphasized on the program that the pandemic is NOT over and that we might be between surges again, as in the past.

One guest medical expert said that it is past the time that we should be just as concerned about long covid as we are about death from covid because nearly 30% of all people who have been infected, even asymptomatic people, develop long covid. Some of those long covid cases resolve after a few months of treatment, but others have pain and brain fog that just do not go away. There is currently no known treatment for the ones whose symptoms persist for so long.

Another medical person on the program agreed with that concern based on her experience with treating long covid patients.

Things are better now than in the beginning of the pandemic, but it is still not safe for vulnerable people to take chances.

[barbtries]

11. Shit.

I hope he sails through it.

[ificandream]

12. I'm still wearing a mask everywhere outside my home.

And I don't care who thinks it's unnecessary.

[electric_blue68]

18. Yup. Me, too.

[mountain grammy]

14. I'm also glad he's vaccinated and boosted..

and glad I am too... be well Mr. President.

[twodogsbarking]

15. Still the only President to be

younger than I.

[totodeinhere]

16. Best wishes to President Obama for a quick and complete recovery. n/t

[electric_blue68]

17. Speedy & Full Recovery, Prs Obama! Stay safe FL Michelle! (kids, too)

[BigmanPigman]

22. Another, new wave of infections has already begun.

Globally Covid is rising again.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

After the Omicron variant's peak it declined and reached its new plateau, which is high compared to the low plateaus of past waves. Countries like S Korea, Germany, etc are seeing new highs this week.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/114227773

I tried to get more free tests through my insur at CVS last night since they had a sign outside which posted this info a week ago. They are already out of stock, as well as the free masks. He said to call them every day.

The new variant, Ba2 has symptoms unlike the others...way more dizzy and fatigued.

My neighbor has had it for over 6 weeks and he was vaxxed and boosted. He also had to go to the hospital for several days.

[Rhiannon12866]

24. Twitter reply:

Link to tweet