Ex-NJ Gov. Chris Christie Leaves Hospital After COVID Diagnosis

MORRISTOWN – Ex-Gov. Chris Christie announced on his Twitter account on Saturday that he's left the hospital after a week-long stay following his COVID-19 diagnosis.

"I am happy to let you know that this morning I was released from Morristown Medical Center," Christie said. "I want to thank the extraordinary doctors and nurses who cared for me for the last week."

Christie, who served as governor from 2010 to 2018 and entered the hospital on his own volition on Oct. 3, thanked his family and friends for their prayers and said: "I will have more to say about all of this next week."

Christie's became one of the latest public officials connected to President Donald Trump to be hospitalized for the coronavirus. And medical professionals said "clinical judgment" factored into that decision.

A spokesperson for Atlantic Health, the group that owns Morristown Medical Center, confirmed to Patch earlier this week that Christie was undergoing treatment.

"Every day thousands of people turn to us for care, and every patient we care for is carefully assessed by a physician to determine their clinical needs. Those determinations, including where care needs to take place, are based on their expert clinical judgment," Atlantic Health said in a statement.

After entering the hospital, Christie said he was feeling "good and only have mild symptoms," but he felt this was an "important precautionary measure" because of his history of asthma. In 2011, Christie was sent to Somerset Medical Center for tests after experiencing difficulty breathing while en route to a bill-signing ceremony.

Christie also had a phone conversation with Tom Moran of the Star Ledger Monday, who said in his column that Christie didn't want to share specifics of his health and treatment.

"But I can say this: He sounded raspy but didn't cough once during the 10-minute chat. He said it's scary, of course, and he's fully aware that he's a prime target for this virus, given his weight and a lifelong case of asthma that was bad enough to hospitalize him during one attack in 2011," Moran said.

The former governor had announced on Twitter that he tested positive for COVID-19, almost a week after attending an event at the White House where a number of attendees – including Trump – later tested positive for the virus.

Employees at ABC News, where Christie serves as an analyst, were also tested and quarantined.

Christie was seen hugging others at the White House ceremony for Trump's announcement nearly two weeks ago that Amy Coney Barrett has been nominated to the Supreme Court.

At least two US senators and several aides and reporters who were at that event – where few people wore masks – have since tested positive.

The event was widely criticized on social media. Christie was tested afterward, and was originally negative. The virus, however, can take at least several days to develop.

Christie also helped Trump prepare for the president's debate with former Vice President Joe Biden two weeks ago.

Christie, a strong supporter of Trump's since the former governor dropped out of the presidential race in 2016, has been critical of Gov. Phil Murphy's approach to the coronavirus. Christie has called on the governor to open up more of New Jersey's economy sooner and faster.