Sen. Tim Kaine announced Thursday that he and his wife have tested positive for antibodies from COVID-19.
The Virginia Democrat said he tested positive for the flu and received treatment for that, but then new symptoms surfaced at the end of March but he thought it was remnants of the flu or a reaction to a high pollen count. He said his wife, Anne, then experienced a fever and chills, which were followed by a cough and congestion.
“After Anne got sick, we each talked to our health providers in early April and they thought it possible that we had mild cases of coronavirus. We were both at home in Richmond, working remotely and isolated from others,” Mr. Kaine said in a press release.
He said due to the shortage in coronavirus testing at the time, they were not tested. By mid-April, they were both symptom-free.
“We each tested positive for coronavirus antibodies this month. While those antibodies could make us less likely to be re-infected or infect others, there is still too much uncertainty over what protection antibodies may actually provide. So we will keep following CDC guidelines—hand-washing, mask wearing, social distancing. We encourage others to do so as well. It shows those around you that you care about them,” Mr. Kaine said.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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