Kavanaugh is the first sitting justice to test positive for the virus, although he is not showing symptoms.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who tested positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated and showing no symptoms this week, tested negative for the virus as recently as Monday, the court said. Justices were tested in advance of a private meeting Monday to discuss adding additional cases to their docket. They all tested negative at the time, including the 54-year-old Kavanaugh, the Associated Press reported. No sitting justices have tested positive for the virus until now. Amy Coney Barrett said she had COVID-19 a year prior to joining the high court. For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below. Kavanaugh was the only one of the nine justices to skip Friday’s ceremonial swearing-in for Barrett, an event that itself was delayed nearly a year because of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s unclear whether Kavanaugh will attend the opening of the court’s new term Monday, when the justices will return to the courtroom to hear arguments after an 18-month absence because of the pandemic.
