More Senators Have COVID

King, Wicker, and Hickenlooper all have been vaccinated
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 19, 2021 5:28 PM CDT
More Senators Have COVID
Sen. Roger Wicker heads to the Senate chamber in May for a vote.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

A Republican, a Democrat, and an Independent in the Senate all tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, despite being vaccinated. Sens. Roger Wicker, Angus King, and John Hickenlooper have all felt symptoms, CNBC reports. "While I am not feeling great, I'm definitely feeling much better than I would have without the vaccine," King, 77, a Maine Independent, said in a statement, adding that he began feeling feverish on Wednesday. Wicker, a 70-year-old Republican, is being treated by his hometown doctor in Mississippi, his staff said. He's "isolating, and everyone with whom Senator Wicker has come in close contact recently has been notified," a spokesman said. Hickenlooper, a Colorado Democrat, said he tested positive after experiencing mild symptoms. He said he's feeling better but will continue to isolate. "I'm grateful for the vaccine (and the scientists behind it) for limiting my symptoms and allowing us to continue our work," Hickenlooper said.

They're not missing any Senate work; the chamber is in recess, scheduled to return next month. Before recess began, nearly all senators were on the floor for an all-night session before a budget vote, per the AP. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina also announced a breakthrough infection this month. Several House members have announced they tested positive, per CNN. "If you haven't gotten your shot—get it today!" Hickenlooper, 69, tweeted Thursday, per the Washington Post. "And a booster when it’s available too!" The number of new infections among fully vaccinated people is low, and they're usually not serious. Of 166 million fully vaccinated people in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists 8,000 breakthrough cases that caused severe disease or death. The virus "is not done with us yet," King said in his statement. (More coronavirus vaccine stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X