MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement, Ellison said he tested positive while out of the country and is currently isolating with mild cold-like symptoms. He shared that had he not been required to take a COVID test before boarding his plane home, he would have "had no reason to believe" he was positive, as at the time, he said he had no symptoms.
Ellison said he is fully vaccinated and boosted, going on to to encourage others to do the same.
"I’m very grateful to have been vaccinated and boosted. The science is clear: vaccines and booster shots make COVID symptoms mild and manageable for most of us if we do contract the virus. My case is more proof of that," he said.
In April of 2020, Ellison's 82-year-old mother died from COVID-19 complications.
Read his full statement below:
I am out of the country visiting family and until yesterday, had no reason to believe I was positive until I took a mandatory COVID test that was required for me to board the plane home. I was surprised to find that it was positive, because up to that point, I had experienced no symptoms. Since then, I have developed mild symptoms but nothing worse than a mild cold. I’m working remotely as normal while isolating in place and will travel home when it’s safe to do so.
I’m very grateful to have been vaccinated and boosted. The science is clear: vaccines and booster shots make COVID symptoms mild and manageable for most of us if we do contract the virus. My case is more proof of that.
We know that the omicron variant is highly transmissible, so if you are eligible and have not gotten vaccinated or boosted, I cannot urge you strongly enough to do so, and to do so now — for yourselves, for your families and loved ones, for your community, and for the sake of our healthcare system. The more Minnesotans who are vaccinated, the more we will all get through to the other side of the omicron wave safely. That’s how we care for each other as Minnesotans and human beings.
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