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On Thursday, December 28, Bernie Sanders tweeted that he had tested positive for Covid-19. Sanders tweeted that his symptoms were minimal and that he would continue working from his home in Vermont. He further said he was "glad" to be "fully up to date" with the vaccine. The 82-year-old serves as the senior United States senator from Vermont.
More than get-well-soon messages, Sanders' revelation has garnered a massive amount of social media trolling and backlash. The senator has always vociferously supported the Covid-19 vaccine, and netizens used his disease diagnosis as an argument against his position.
Netizens troll Bernie Sanders over the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine
The last Thursday of the year saw Bernie Sanders make a concerning announcement regarding his health. The United States Senator revealed on X (formerly known as Twitter) that he had been diagnosed with Covid-19. The Senator tweeted:
"I have tested positive for Covid. My symptoms are minimal and I will continue to work from home in Vermont while isolating in accordance with CDC guidance. I am glad to be fully up to date with the vaccine."
Sanders' diagnosis comes during the Senate break. The Senate's legislative business was closed for the year and would only reopen on January 8. Bernie Sanders's tweet went viral all over the platform, amassing over 7.8 million views at the time of writing this article.
However, Sanders' announcement only elicited a few positive get-well-soon messages. The comments section underneath the Senator's tweet was filled with intense trolling and harsh criticism. Sanders had always been a staunch advocate for COVID-19 vaccines. In January of this year, he called Moderna's decision to increase vaccine prices, "Unacceptable Corporate Greed".
Netizens reminded Bernie Sanders of his position regarding vaccines and used his diagnosis as a staunch argument against the effectiveness of the vaccine. Many social media users worded their criticisms harshly and Bernie Sanders, while others now saw him as a meme. Here are a few reactions to the Senator's tweet:
CDC reports increase in circulation of COVID-19 JN.1 variant
Despite the light-hearted reactions to Sanders' diagnosis, the current condition of COVID-19 is still a matter of concern. CDC Data from December shows that the JN.1 variant was now the "most widely circulating variant in the United States." The CDC reported:
"For the two weeks ending on December 23, 2023, JN.1 is expected to account for 39-50% of all SARS-CoV-2 variants."
It further stated:
"That’s an increase from the projected prevalence two weeks ago of 15-29%. We’re also seeing an increasing share of infections caused by JN.1 in travelers, wastewater, and most regions around the globe."
The rapid growth of the JN.1 variant led the CDC to declare that the variant was either "more transmissible" or simply more adept at bypassing the human immune system. The agency stated that it was "too early" to know whether or to what extent the variant would increase in affected individuals and hospitalizations.
The CDC provided reassurance that JN.1 "does not seem to present additional risks." This affirmation stemmed from the adequacy of existing tests, vaccines, and treatments in addressing the variant. The "2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines" were updated to generate antibodies specifically targeting the JN.1 variant, further enhancing the capacity to combat it.
