Surgeon General Vivek Murthy announced Friday that he tested positive for COVID-19.
Murthy revealed that he, his wife, and their 5-year-old son had “mild” symptoms after testing positive for the coronavirus and used the time to reflect on how it felt to test positive after being careful and getting vaccinated.
“We’ve tried to be safe but it’s tough when your kids are sick,” Murthy wrote in a Twitter thread. “You want to comfort them when they’re unwell. That often requires being close physically. We’d make that choice again, but I feel for those who struggle to balance protecting themselves with caring for family.”
SURGEON GENERAL MURTHY IS RIGHT TO BE A BOOSTER FOR BOOSTER SHOTS
“When you’ve been as safe as you can, getting COVID-19 can be frustrating and disappointing,” Murthy wrote. “I’ve felt that. It can also be a source of shame. Many people assume you must have been careless to get sick. Our safety measures reduce risk but they can’t eliminate risk. Nothing can.”
Murthy highlighted the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines, saying they’ve helped keep people out of hospitals and saved lives.
As of Thursday, 64.6% of people in the United States are considered fully vaccinated, while 76.1% have received one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to Mayo Clinic’s Coronavirus Tracker.
“Whether you’ve had COVID or not, whatever your beliefs may be, I wish for you the love of family & friends. I know it feels like we’re in endless conflict,” Murthy said. “We are brothers and sisters first with common hopes and common concerns,” he added, expressing the hope that everyone can find “healing in the days ahead.”
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On Tuesday, Murphy shared that his 4-year-old daughter had tested positive for the virus. The surgeon general spoke about the difficulties of having to “isolate a small child” while also expressing his wish that a vaccine existed for “all kids.”
The Food and Drug Administration announced on Feb. 11 that it would be postponing a meeting to discuss authorizing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5 after the companies asked for authorization to be postponed until additional clinical data became available.
