Vaccinated SC Sen. Lindsey Graham tests positive for COVID-19, will quarantine

South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said Monday he’s tested positive for coronavirus, months after he was vaccinated.

Graham is the first U.S. senator to report having a positive breakthrough COVID-19 diagnosis after being vaccinated.

The senator said he started having flu-like symptoms Saturday night and went to the doctor Monday to be tested. Graham described his symptoms as “mild,” saying it felt like a sinus infection.

The Seneca Republican tweeted he will quarantine for the next 10 days, and, despite his diagnosis, is “very glad” he was vaccinated.

“I was just informed by the House physician I have tested positive for #COVID19 even after being vaccinated. I started having flu-like symptoms Saturday night and went to the doctor this morning,” Graham tweeted. “I feel like I have a sinus infection and at present time I have mild symptoms. I will be quarantining for ten days. I am very glad I was vaccinated because without vaccination I am certain I would not feel as well as I do now. My symptoms would be far worse.”

Graham’s diagnosis means others will have to quarantine.

A CNN reporter tweeted Monday that Graham was among a small group of senators who joined U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, on his houseboat over the weekend. Manchin is expected to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for coming in close contact with someone diagnosed with covid, reporters quoted his spokeswoman as saying.

Graham’s diagnosis is among the rising breakthrough cases seen across the country where vaccinated people are testing positive for the virus, largely due to the rise in the highly transmissible delta variant.

It is the first time Graham tested positive for COVID-19, his spokesman confirmed. At the start of the pandemic, Graham quarantined after coming in close contact with others who had the virus, but Graham’s test at the time was negative.

South Carolina has recorded a spike in cases over the past few weeks, seeing its most cases since February.

The state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control reported Monday 1,794 new coronavirus cases. Of those 605 are probable, meaning likely positive, and the agency reported one death. More than 500,000 people across the state have tested positive for the virus since the state’s outbreak last year. Another 113,000 cases are listed as probable.

But despite the number of breakthrough cases, health officials and experts still say the vaccine is the safest and most effective way to fight off the virus. The majority of new infections and hospitalizations are in unvaccinated patients. Fewer than 1% of those with the vaccine have serious complications resulting in a hospital visit or death, proving that the vaccine is effective in combating the virus.

This story was originally published August 2, 2021 at 3:17 PM with the headline "Vaccinated SC Sen. Lindsey Graham tests positive for COVID-19, will quarantine."

Andrew Caplan

The State

803-771-8390

Andrew Caplan is a watchdog journalist who hails from Florida. He comes to The State Media Company after winning several statewide awards for investigations on elected officials and government entities. He holds a master’s degree from the University of South Florida.