Coronavirus

Chris Rock says he has Covid. 'Trust me you don't want this,' comedian tweets

 

 

By Deanna Hackney

Comedian and actor Chris Rock revealed Sunday that he has tested positive for Covid-19, and he is using the opportunity to urge others to get vaccinated against the virus.

On his verified Twitter account, Rock posted, "Hey guys I just found out I have COVID, trust me you don't want this. Get vaccinated."

The former "Saturday Night Live" cast member didn't comment on his condition, and his representatives did not immediately return a request from CNN for further comment.

Rock told Jimmy Fallon on an episode of "The Tonight Show" in May that he received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and joked that he used his star status and "skipped the line" in getting it.

"I used my celebrity, Jimmy," Rock said. "I didn't care. I was like, 'Hey, step aside Betty White, step aside old people, Judge Judy.'"

People who are fully vaccinated can still get Covid-19 -- these are called breakthrough cases -- but being immunized greatly reduces the risk of hospitalization or death, health experts say.

In fact, people who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 were 11 times more likely to die of the disease and 10 times more likely to be hospitalized with the disease, a study published earlier this month by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

"Please have a swift and mild case and a full recovery. Hurry, we need you," tweeted Larry Charles, the "Seinfield" producer and writer.