Officials say Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett had virus over the summer

The officials were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity

Oct 2, 2020

Seventh U.S. Circuit Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, meets with Sen. John Thune (R-SD) as she begins a series of meetings to prepare for her confirmation hearing in the Mansfield Room at the U.S. Capitol on September 29, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images)

Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett and her husband had coronavirus earlier this year and recovered, according to two administration officials.

The officials were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Barrett was nominated to the high court last week after the death of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Trump held a press conference outside where few people wore masks. Barrett and her family were not wearing them.

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk to the White House residence as they exit Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on September 11, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump and the First Lady traveled earlier to the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania to mark the 19th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Trump announced Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the virus, after aide Hope Hicks was diagnosed.

Barrett has also been meeting with senators ahead of her confirmation hearing, including Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who also announced Friday that he had tested positive for the virus. Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, and his wife, Jill, said they have tested negative after encountering Trump at Tuesday’s debate.

The science is unclear on whether someone who has the virus can get it again.

More than 205,000 Americans have died from COVID-19.

— By AP writers Colleen Long and Jonathan Lemire

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