Court: Thomas in hospital, not from COVID-19
WASHINGTON – Justice Clarence Thomas, who remains hospitalized in Washington, does not have COVID-19, the Supreme Court said Monday.
The court provided no additional information about the infection that put Thomas in the hospital on Friday, other than to say he is responding to intravenous antibiotics.
Thomas, 73, has been vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, along with the other eight justices, the court said.
The chair to his right empty, Chief Justice John Roberts took note of Thomas’ absence from the courtroom Monday without explaining why. He said the justice would take part in the cases based on written briefs and recordings of the in-court arguments.
Thomas has been on the court since 1991. Word of his hospitalization Sunday came as the Senate Judiciary Committee prepared for hearings Monday in the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, whom President Joe Biden named to replace retiring Stephen Breyer.