Vivek Murthy Tests Positive
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy spoke with students at Jefferson Middle School in Washington, DC last week about mental health during the pandemic. (photo Twitter)
India-West Staff Reporter
WASHINGTON, DC – US surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy has tested positive for Covid-19.
The Indian American announced this on Twitter on Feb.18 and accompanied it with a thoughtful thread that addressed parents with little ones who have no approved vaccines against the illness yet.
His 4-year-old daughter, who was the first in his family to test positive, he said was, “doing ok. Fevers are starting to improve. She’s still congested and is now hoarse from all the coughing, but thankfully she’s still smiling and enjoying her arts and crafts.”
Murthy addressed the challenge of all parents, “We’ve tried to be safe but it’s tough when your kids are sick. You want to comfort them when they’re unwell. That often requires being close physically. We’d make that choice again, but I feel for those who struggle to balance protecting themselves with caring for family.”
The surgeon general said the whole family had tested positive. “My 5-year-old son, my wife Alice, and I have all tested positive for COVID-19. Our son has a runny nose and low-grade fever but is otherwise eating, drinking, playing with his sister, and watching his favorite cartoons.”
He went on to say, “Alice and I have mild symptoms. She has a headache and fatigue. I’m experiencing muscle aches, chills, and sore throat. Our breathing is fine, thankfully. It has been chaotic at home with all of us sick, but I wouldn’t want to navigate this with anyone but Alice.”
“When you’ve been as safe as you can, getting COVID-19 can be frustrating and disappointing. I’ve felt that. It can also be a source of shame. Many people assume you must have been careless to get sick. Our safety measures reduce risk but they can’t eliminate risk. Nothing can,” the Indian American said.
“So if you’ve done everything you can and gotten COVID-19 anyway, don’t beat yourself up. A lot of us are doing the best we can. And let’s not assume those who get sick are careless. We don’t know people’s circumstances. They may not be able to protect themselves the way we can,” he added.
Murthy also stressed the importance of being vaccinated and boosted against the virus and reiterated the efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccine.
“One major source of peace of mind for us: we and our son are vaxed/boosted. Vaccines are very effective at saving our lives and keeping us out of the hospital. As parents, I can’t tell you how reassuring it is to know we’ll be able to care for our kids even if we get infected,” he said.
