Comedian, actor and producer Chris Rock has announced that he tested positive for COVID-19. Taking to Twitter on Sunday morning, the New York native shared that he has tested positive while also encouraging others to get vaccinated.
“Hey guys I just found out I have COVID, trust me you don’t want this. Get vaccinated,” Rock tweeted.
Rock has previously noted that he is a New Jersey resident, a state that has managed the COVID-19 pandemic better than most others in recent months. According to a recent report from the New York Times, New Jersey has reported the fourth-fewest COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents. With that said, New Jersey is experiencing a rise in COVID-19 cases from where they were one month ago.
On Sunday, NJ.com reported that the state of New Jersey has recorded another 1,658 cases of COVID-19. As a result, the state’s seven-day average for confirmed positive tests is now 1,893, a 31% increases from one month ago.
Fortunately, Rock has stated that he is vaccinated against the virus. During a recent interview with Jimmy Fallon, he jokingly called himself “Two Shots Rock” and joked about using his celebrity to get vaccinated as quickly as possible.
“You know, I skipped the line. I didn’t care. I used my celebrity, Jimmy,” he said.
“I was like, ‘Step aside, Betty White. Step aside, old people. … I did ‘Pootie Tang.’ Let me on the front of the line.’”
A recently released study from the CDC found that being vaccinated makes you 29 times less likely to be hospitalized due to the virus.
“Do not underestimate the risk and serious consequences of this virus,” CDC Directo Rochelle Walensky said.
“Vaccines are the best tool we have to take charge of this pandemic.”
