Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson has been transferred to a rehabilitation facility, and his wife, Jacqueline, was moved to the intensive care unit as they continue treatment for COVID-19.
This information comes from a family statement released on Friday, almost a week after the Jacksons were initially admitted to Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital after testing positive for the virus.
ABC 7 in Chicago reported that although Rev. Jackson, 79, has recovered from COVID-19, his family says the symptoms of his Parkinson’s disease have “become more in focus.”
He is now at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, where he will undergo “intensive occupational and physical therapy.”
Meanwhile, the news outlet reported that Jacqueline Jackson, 77, is receiving increased oxygen at Northwestern Memorial’s ICU. She is still breathing on her own and has not been placed on a ventilator.
Related Story: Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. And Wife Hospitalized After Positive COVID Test
Rev. Jackson received his first dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine during a news conference. A Jackson family spokesman told NBC Chicago that Jacqueline Jackson had not been vaccinated.
One of the couple’s children, Jonathan Jackson, told CBS News, “Both of our parents are continuing to receive excellent medical care. We urge that you continue to keep them in your prayers because we know this is a serious disease.”
The family also said in their statement, “We continue to receive the love that is being poured out to our family from around the world, and it is greatly appreciated, as we express our love and concern for the millions of people who have been victimized by the COVID-19 virus and its variants. We know this is a dangerous disease, so please remain prayerful for all of those who are suffering as a result.”
We are still sending prayers to the family for a speedy and full recovery.
