State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box reinfected with COVID-19, isolating at home

State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box has become reinfected with COVID-19. She tested positive after developing symptoms on Monday, and has been isolating at home. 

Box also tested positive for COVID-19 in October 2020 after two workers at her grandson’s day care got sick. Her daughter and grandson had mild symptoms, but she was asymptomatic. 

She is fully vaccinated and received her booster shot in November. 

The Indiana Department of Health said in a news release Box’s PCR test will be sequenced to determine if she has been infected with the omicron variant. 

READ MORE: Is Indiana ready for omicron COVID-19 cases? Expert says yes – if Hoosiers get vaccinated

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Box is an example of both a reinfection and a breakthrough case. Indiana has reported more than 16,000 reinfections since Sept. 1. Nearly 113,000 fully vaccinated Hoosiers have had breakthrough cases. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it anticipates more breakthrough cases with the highly transmissible omicron strain. But it also said vaccines are still effective at preventing serious illness and death. 

IDOH said in a news release – especially during this surge of new cases – Hoosiers can protect themselves and others by wearing surgical or KN95 masks in public, social distancing, getting tested, getting vaccinated and boosted, and staying home when sick.

Contact Lauren at lchapman@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @laurenechapman_.