Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has tested positive for COVID-19, he said in a statement Sunday. Austin said that he is fully vaccinated and has recieved a booster shot and is experiencing “mild” symptoms.
Austin, 68, said that he will quarantine at home for the next five days and that “to the degree possible, I plan to attend virtually this coming week those key meetings and discussions required to inform my situational awareness and decision making.”
Austin noted that his last in-person meeting with President Biden was on December 21, and that he tested negative that morning.
“The vaccines work and will remain a military medical requirement for our workforce,” the defense secretary said at the conclusion of his statement. “I continue to encourage everyone eligible for a booster shot to get one. This remains a readiness issue.”
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