Illinois lt. governor tests positive for coronavirus

Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton (D) announced on Thursday that she tested positive for COVID-19 in a breakthrough case of the virus.

“I have tested positive for COVID-19. I have mild symptoms and will isolate as I recover,” Stratton tweeted. “I’m so relieved to be fully vaccinated and boosted. If you have yet to do so, please get vaccinated, your booster and wear a mask. I appreciate your prayers and good vibes!”

I have tested positive for COVID-19. I have mild symptoms and will isolate as I recover.

I’m so relieved to be fully vaccinated and boosted. If you have yet to do so, please get vaccinated, your booster and wear a mask.

I appreciate your prayers and good vibes!

— Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton (@LtGovStratton) December 30, 2021

On Tuesday, Illinois reported more than 20,000 new COVID-19 cases in addition to more than 34,000 the day prior. Cases were in the thousands for much of November, comparatively.

Roughly 77 percent of eligible Illinois residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine while 68 percent are fully vaccinated. And about 42 percent of people in Illinois ages 18 and older have received their booster shot.

Much of the United States is seeing a surge of new infections amid the spread of the omicron variant. Health officials say the strain is highly transmissible, however early data suggests the variant is less severe than delta for people who are vaccinated.

“We know now, incontrovertibly, that this is a highly, highly transmissible virus,” Anthony Fauci said during a White House briefing on Wednesday, adding “all indications point to a lesser severity of omicron versus delta.”

The president’s chief medical adviser also said that while there has been a 126 percent increase in infections in the span of the last two weeks, hospitalizations have only seen an 11 percent increase during that same time span.

Officials have taken every opportunity to urge Americans to get the vaccine if they have not already done so and to get boosted if they are eligible.