Governor JB Pritzker tests positive for COVID-19

CHICAO (WLS) -- Governor JB Pritzker announced Tuesday that he tested positive for COVID 19.

The governor's office said he received a positive test during his routine COVID testing regimen after being notified of several close contacts testing positive.

Governor Pritzker is experiencing mild symptoms and has been prescribed anti-viral medication Paxlovid.

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Pritzker will follow CDC guidelines and will work from home. He is fully vaccinated and double boosted, his office said.

While state officials did not say when or where they believe Gov. Pritzker may have contractded the virus, just this past Saturday he delivered a keynote address at the Florida Democratic Party's leadership conference in Tampa Bay. Earlier in the week he attended an event marking the passage of bipartisan gun legislation at the White House.

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Paxlovid is an anti-viral still under emergency use authorization that was recently approved by the FDA to be prescribed by pharmacists for quicker access. But because of its side effects and known drug interactions, it's only recommended for specific groups of people.

"It is approved for people who are at high risk for severe outcomes with COVID," explained Dr. John Segreti, Rush University Medical Center. "People who have underlying diseases, obesity, other co-morbidities."