John Hickenlooper becomes 3rd senator to test positive for COVID-19 on Thursday

(Image credit: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

published 19 August 2021

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) announced on Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms.

Hickenlooper, 69, said in a statement he is "grateful for the vaccine (and the scientists behind it) for limiting my symptoms and allowing us to continue our work for Colorado. If you haven't been vaccinated, don't wait for the virus — get the shot today, and a booster when it's available, too!"

Earlier Thursday, Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) both revealed that they had also tested positive for COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has emphasized that no vaccines are 100 percent effective at preventing illness in people who are vaccinated, but when it comes to COVID-19, "there is some evidence that vaccination may make illness less severe for those who are vaccinated and still get sick."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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