Warren and Booker announce breakthrough COVID-19 cases

Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) announced on Sunday that they have tested positive for COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated against the virus. 

“I regularly test for COVID & while I tested negative earlier this week, today I tested positive with a breakthrough case,” Warren said in a tweet around 4:30 p.m.

“Thankfully, I am only experiencing mild symptoms & am grateful for the protection provided against serious illness that comes from being vaccinated & boosted,” she added.

I regularly test for COVID & while I tested negative earlier this week, today I tested positive with a breakthrough case. Thankfully, I am only experiencing mild symptoms & am grateful for the protection provided against serious illness that comes from being vaccinated & boosted.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) December 19, 2021

Booker announced later in the day that he had also tested positive for COVID-19 after experiencing symptoms of the virus on Saturday. 

“My symptoms are relatively mild,” Booker said. “I’m beyond grateful to have received two doses of vaccine and, more recently, a booster – I’m certain that without them I would be doing much worse.”

I learned today that I tested positive for COVID-19 after first feeling symptoms on Saturday. My symptoms are relatively mild. I’m beyond grateful to have received two doses of vaccine and, more recently, a booster – I’m certain that without them I would be doing much worse.

— Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) December 20, 2021

Both Warren and Booker urged everyone to get vaccinated or boosted if they haven’t already. 

The senators’ positive tests come after they spent hours with other lawmakers on the Senate floor on Friday and into early Saturday morning.

Just last week, Warren was part of a group of more than 80 Democratic lawmakers who called for more government funding to vaccinate the world against COVID-19. 

“Now, the world faces yet another variant, Omicron, which may be even more transmissible than the Delta variant,” a letter signed by Warren and others said. 

“We must end this cycle by prioritizing getting shots in arms around the world as soon as possible, especially in low- and lower-middle-income countries, which do not have the resources to vaccinate their populations,” the letter said.

Warren and Booker join at least 21 members of Congress who have tested positive for COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated against the virus — six in the Senate and 15 in the House, according to a tally by The Hill.

Four additional House Republicans have also disclosed that they tested positive for the virus in recent months, but it’s not clear if they were vaccinated.

Updated at 8:08 p.m.