Former President Barack Obama announced on Sunday afternoon that he had tested positive for COVID-19, despite being vaccinated and boosted against the virus.
“I just tested positive for COVID. I’ve had a scratchy throat for a couple days, but am feeling fine otherwise,” the president said in a Facebook post.
“Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted, and she has tested negative,” Obama added. “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 has long been a proponent of vaccines and other COVID-19 precautionary measures. In March of 2021, as noted by Fox News, Obama praised the vaccine and implored his followers to receive it:
“Michelle and I got vaccinated against COVID-19 because we know it’s the best way to beat this pandemic, protect one another, and get the country back up and running again,” Obama wrote on Facebook in March 2021, accompanied by footage of himself and former first lady Michelle Obama getting the shot. “So I hope you’ll get the vaccine as soon as it’s available to you. It could save your life.”
In August 2021, Obama came under fire for hosting a mega-bash at his Martha’s Vineyard estate for his 60th birthday. Critics said that the party ran contrary to the social distancing and mask wearing advice advocated by many Democrats.
The original guest list for the event was between 400 and 500 people, but was scaled back due to criticism. Photos still showed dancing, a maskless Obama, and other questionable activity at the time. Yet, the waitstaff had to wear masks, the media reported after event had taken place:
According to a source who worked at the party, all staff at the event were wearing masks, and many attendees were wearing them, though some photos from the event showed a dancing Obama without one. The Times was told there were an estimated 100 to 150 people at the event.
In reaction, Newsbusters’ Dan Gainor implored people to pray for Obama, despite political differences.
“Please pray he gets better,” Gainor tweeted. “Don’t be like the left. #COVID19 is the enemy of everyone. It killed my friend Herman Cain and he would have prayed for Obama. | Barack Obama tests positive for COVID-19.”
Please pray he gets better. Don't be like the left. #COVID19 is the enemy of everyone. It killed my friend Herman Cain and he would have prayed for Obama. | Barack Obama tests positive for COVID-19 https://t.co/woFYHSAj4K #FoxNews
— Dan Gainor (@dangainor) March 13, 2022
CNN reported that Obama “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.”
Politico also noted that Obama is now the second American president to have been confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19, the first being former President Donald J. Trump who was hospitalized in 2020 — before vaccines were available.
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