Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey announced Friday that they have tested positive for COVID-19. Both officials said they were grateful for the vaccine's protection.
Gainey is experiencing “minor symptoms" and is continuing to work while isolating at home, according to a statement from his office.
“I’m thankful for the protection provided by the vaccine and boosters and I hope my diagnosis can serve as a reminder to all of us to remain vigilant in the face of the ongoing pandemic,” Gainey said in a statement.
His office says the test results announced Friday were the result of a PCR test. In December, Gainey disclosed that he had tested positive on a rapid test, but a later PCR test was negative.
Fitzgerald said in a statement Friday that he's not experiencing any symptoms and is feeling fine.
"I have notified those I’ve been in close contact with as well as the officials at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh overseeing the vaccine trial I’ve been participating in. I will receive additional testing as part of the trial protocol, and I will follow the CDC guidelines for isolation and returning to the office.”
While the CDC still classifies Allegheny County’s infection rate as “low,” case numbers doubled in the last week.
According to data released Thursday from the Allegheny County Health Department, there were 906 newly reported COVID-19 cases over the last week. That’s up from 487 cases the previous week.
Roughly 72% of people ages five and older are fully vaccinated in Allegheny County, according to the Health Department, though only about half of people eligible for a booster have gotten one.
