Atlanta Mayor-elect Andre Dickens tests positive for COVID-19

December 20th, 2021

Atlanta Mayor-elect Andre Dickens announced on Twitter on Monday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, just two weeks before he’s to be sworn in. 

The Atlanta City Councilmember said he’s been regularly tested for COVID-19 since the start of his mayoral campaign and increased testing to every other day recently “because the Omicron variant has been surging.”

“Today I tested positive for COVID-19 with a rapid test and am awaiting the results of a PCR test,” he wrote.

The announcement comes as the number of patients hospitalized with COVID has risen nearly 50% in Georgia in the last month and the number of infections detected continues to accelerate, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Dickens, who is fully vaccinated, said he feels well and is experiencing only mild symptoms. 

“I cannot be certain where or when I was exposed, but if you came into contact with me during the past week, I would urge you to get tested, and to quarantine like I am until you’ve received a negative test result,” he wrote.

Dickens urged people to be “cautious and smart” about holiday plans. He said to get vaccinated and boosted and get tested before and after spending time with family and friends.

“I hope everyone has a safe and health holiday season and I look forward to rejoining you across Atlanta after I have tested negative for COVID-19,” he wrote. 

Dickens beat City Council President Felicia Moore in a runoff for mayor in November. He is due to be sworn in as Atlanta’s 61st mayor in January.

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