Former President Barack Obama announced Sunday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 but is generally “feeling fine.”
“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,” he posted on Twitter.
The 60-year-old said his infection is a reminder for those unvaccinated to get the shot, “even as cases go down.”
Cases have been falling in the U.S. over the past 30 days, but more than 1,400 deaths due to the virus are still being reported each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
News of the former president’s positive test result comes almost exactly one year after he and his wife, Michelle, publicly announced that they had gotten the vaccine and encouraged others to follow suit.
“It’s our best shot at beating this virus, looking out for one another, and getting back to some of the things we miss,” the former first lady said in a social media post. “Getting vaccinated will save lives—and that life could be yours.”
Obama also appeared in a vaccine public service announcement with former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.
Former President Donald Trump, who tested positive for the virus in late 2020, before today’s vaccines were available, has separately also said he’s been vaccinated. In December, he confirmed he has gotten a booster shot.
President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, have also been vaccinated.
