Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan tests positive for COVID-19

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing cold-like symptoms, she announced Saturday.

In a thread on Twitter, Flanagan said over the past week she had been caring for her 8-year-old daughter, Siobhan, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 22.

I wanted to share with Minnesotans that I tested positive for COVID-19 after caring for our 8-year-old daughter who tested positive last week. While I’m under the weather, our family is doing well, and we’re thankful for the support of friends and family. ??:

— Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan (@LtGovFlanagan) October 30, 2021

"I’ve experienced a lot of extreme feelings over the course of this pandemic, but nothing has compared to how I felt when our baby said she didn’t feel well," Flanagan said.

Siobhan’s symptoms started with a headache and a sore throat, Flanagan said. At that point, Flanagan’s family all got tested for COVID-19. Siobhan’s test came back positive; the lieutenant governor and her husband, Tom Weber, tested negative.

Flanagan said she and Weber continued to get tested throughout the week, and those remained negative until Friday, when a rapid test came back positive. That result was confirmed with a mail-in PCR test.

"I’ll be continuing to stay home to recover and make sure I don’t get anyone else sick," Flanagan said.

She said so far she is experiencing "cold-like symptoms." Both she and her husband are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Flanagan ended the thread by stating her intention to get the booster shot and to have her daughter vaccinated now that the Pfizer shot has been approved for children ages 5-11.

She also urged other Minnesotans to get vaccinated.

"I want to be clear: This pandemic is not over, and we have to keep doing everything we can to keep our kids safe," Flanagan said on Twitter. "Getting vaccinated isn’t just about you – it’s about protecting our little ones who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated."