On Tuesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) tested positive for COVID-19 but is in good health and experiencing no symptoms.
In a statement from the Governor’s office, spokesperson Mark Miner shared that Abbott “is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, in good health, and currently experiencing no symptoms. Everyone that the Governor has been in close contact with today has been notified.”
Miner added that Abbott, who gets tested daily, is currently isolating inside the Governor’s mansion in Austin and is taking monoclonal antibody treatment, the Associated Press reports.
Abbott himself broke the news of his positive diagnosis on social media.
“As you may have heard, I have Covid. Right now, I have no symptoms such as fever or aches and pains,” Abbott tweeted. “Thanks for the well wishes from around the country.”
He added, “I will remain engaged every day to govern the great state of Texas. God bless you all, and God bless Texas.”
As you may have heard, I have Covid.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 17, 2021
Right now I have no symptoms such as fever or aches and pains.
Thanks for the well wishes from around the country.
I will remain engaged every day to govern the great state of Texas.
God bless you all, and God bless Texas. pic.twitter.com/kbYPt1FpNj
In an accompanying video, Abbott noted that he has been fully vaccinated and could be one reason why he is not currently experienced any symptoms. His wife, Cecilia, has tested negative.
According to a tally by the Associated Press, Abbott is the 11th U.S. governor to test positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
A day before testing positive, Abbott spoke to a crowded room of GOP supporters, many of whom were elderly and unmasked. In a separate meeting, the Republican governor also took a picture with guitarist Jimmie Vaughan, the older brother of the late blues-rock guitar icon Stevie Ray Vaughan.
According to a statement by Vaughan, he and his family are currently testing negative.
On Monday, the Texas Supreme Court ruled against mask mandates in two of the state’s largest counties. Nonetheless, several school districts across the state are seeking to impose mask mandates on all students who are scheduled to return to class this week.
As of Tuesday, there have been over 12,200 hospitalizations in Texas from COVID-19, the highest since January. State health officials have called on the federal government to provide five morgue trailers as a precaution.
Abbott, who is up for reelection in 2022, has refused to reinstate mask mandates after he rescinded COVID-19 restrictions back in March.
In April, as Christian Headlines previously reported, Abbott also issued an executive order banning the use of all vaccine passports in the Lone Star state.
Like several other governors, Abbot has touted the message of personal responsibility in navigating through the pandemic.
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Montinique Monroe/Stringer
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
