Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard tests positive for COVID-19
FOX 2 - Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard tested positive for the omicron variant Tuesday.
The county announced the test result today, adding that he will be working remotely after catching the highly contagious strain due to his being in contact with a great number of people.
"Even though I choose to be fully vaccinated and received the booster shot, the omicron variant was still able to catch up with me," Bouchard said in a release. "I had assumed it was not a question of whether it caught up to me given the duties of a first responder, but when. Per our protocols I will be in quarantine, but I will continue to work remotely."
Bouchard said he has many of the symptoms associated with the virus such as headache, congestion, exhaustion, and other assorted aches.
According to the county, the Sheriff’s Office has more than 170 of its 1,400 employees currently off work because they either have COVID-19 or were exposed to it.
Related: Michigan COVID-19 hospitalizations hit record-high
Early in the pandemic, Bouchard ordered regular testing for employees regardless of vaccination status as a safety precaution.