Surgeon General, Family Contract COVID-19: Virus Can Be ‘Frustrating And Disappointing’

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, along with his family, has tested positive for COVID-19.

Murthy confirmed the news in a Twitter post on Friday, where he announced that his wife and 5-year-old son had also contracted the virus. They were displaying mild symptoms, he said.

Murthy said he has experienced muscle aches, chills, and a sore throat. His wife has a headache and fatigue. Both of their breathing is fine, he said on Twitter.

Murthy’s 4-year-old daughter tested positive for the virus earlier this week. He said she is “doing ok” and her fever is improving.

Murthy continued in his Twitter thread by expressing his frustration and disappointment with contracting the virus.

“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,” he said.

He continued, “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.”

Murthy also took the opportunity to stress the need for Americans to get vaccinated and boosted to protect themselves against COVID-19.

He said, “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.”

A total of 64.6% of the eligible U.S. population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with 43.1% having received their booster shots, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.