Hospitalized with COVID-19, Sen. Andre Jacque is breathing with a ventilator – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON - A Wisconsinlawmaker who has been hospitalized with COVID-19 for at least a week is now breathing through a ventilator.

Republican Sen. Andre Jacque of De Pere was intubated Monday, according to two people with knowledge of his condition.

The treatment typically requires patients to be sedated to allow them to breathe using a ventilator. Itis typically considered a last-resort treatment but many patients recover, includinga 73-year-oldhigh-ranking Roman Catholic cardinal last week.

Jacque, 40, has been hospitalized with COVID-19-induced pneumoniafor at least a week after contracting COVID-19 earlier this month. Since then, two of his colleagues have asked the public for prayers.

In recent months, Jacque has been one of most outspoken lawmakers against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and has authored legislation that would bar government officials or business owners from requiring Wisconsinites be vaccinated against COVID-19 or show proof of vaccination to access services.

He also opposed the statewide mask mandate implemented by Gov. Tony Eversand joined legislation to end it.

Jacque told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week that at the time hetested positive, which was around Aug. 13, he was largely asymptomatic and only felt fatigue. He did notsay whether he had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Jacque's hospitalizationcame as Wisconsin is experiencing a new surge of COVID-19 cases driven by a new variant of the virus that is more transmissible. It's the first uptick of casessince vaccines became widely available in the state earlier this year.

You can find out who your legislators are and how to contact them here.

Contact Molly Beck and Patrick Marley at molly.beck@jrn.comand patrick.marley@jrn.com.

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Hospitalized with COVID-19, Sen. Andre Jacque is breathing with a ventilator - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel