Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh Tests Positive For COVID-19

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a court statement released Friday.

The justice was tested positive on Thursday night though he was fully vaccinated. He has shown no symptoms so far.

The news comes as the court begins its new term while bringing back in-person oral arguments for the first time since the pandemic.

“Justice Kavanaugh will participate in next week’s oral arguments remotely from his home after testing positive for COVID-19 this week,” the statement reads. “All of the other Justices, including Justice Kennedy, tested negative in advance of today’s investiture.”

Kavanaugh is the first person among the high court’s justices to have COVID-19.

COVID-19 is proven to be more deadly in the elderly population. Three of the nine justices are over age 70, the age group that is advised to take the booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Kavanaugh, a conservative justice, was appointed by former President Donald Trump in 2018.