'COVID finally got me': Austin City Council Member Chito Vela shares positive diagnosis

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin's newest city council member announced Wednesday that he's experiencing only mild symptoms after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

Chito Vela, who represents District Four, posted on Twitter that he's isolating at home after testing positive Monday morning.

"After dodging it for two years, COVID finally got me!" Vela tweeted.

He also told his Twitter followers that he plans to be back at next week's work session and council meeting.

Council Member Mackenize Kelly wished Vela well on Twitter, writing, "I have plenty of snacks and Coca-Cola to share upon your return to the Dais!"

Vela's announcement Wednesday follows other political figures sharing this week that they, too, had coronavirus infections. Vice President Kamala Harris' office confirmed Tuesday she's showing no symptoms despite two tests coming back positive.

Beto O'Rourke, the Democratic candidate for Texas governor, also said he caught COVID-19. In a video posted to social media Wednesday, he announced he's endorsing Jay Kleberg in the Democratic runoff for Texas land commissioner. Voters will decide if either he or Sandragrace Martinez will become the party's nominee during the May 24 election.

This week Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top immunologist, made headlines when he said the country has finally moved past the pandemic stage after more than two years, pointing to the U.S. population’s current rates of infection, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. However, he warned that vaccines — one of the most effective tools against infection and serious illness — are still essential for keeping the country from backsliding, but he couldn’t say how often Americans would need to receive booster doses.

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