PITTSFIELD, Mass. — State Sen. Adam Hinds says he and his wife have tested positive for COVID-19.

 

The senator is reporting mild symptoms and is isolating according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines. According to a statement released Thursday afternoon, he is vaccinated and boosted. His wife, Alicia Mireles Christoff, is an English professor at Amherst University.

 

"COVID is far from over, and I feel lucky to have been vaccinated and boosted," said the senator. "But there are still a lot of people, including my young son, who cannot get the vaccine. This points to an uneasy situation now that my wife has also tested positive. 

 

"So I want to encourage everyone to stay vigilant and to get vaccinated and boosted if you are eligible."

 

The number of positive cases in Massachusetts has continued to climb over the past six weeks, with nearly 20,000 new cases reported in the last week. Vaccination reduces the chance of infection — positive cases are less than 10 percent in those inoculated — but the the positivity rate is now more than 6 percent.

 

Hinds is a candidate for lieutenant governor of Massachusetts. He said will continue to work from home and campaign virtually while he adheres to CDC isolation guidelines. 

 

"I am the right candidate for LG because I have a record of bringing people together for progress," he said. "If I need a webcam to do that for now, so be it."