She is the first legislator known to have contracted the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

In a statement from House Democrats, she said “this morning I received news that I have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. I was tested at UC Health after experiencing symptoms. While I have had a confirmed case of bronchitis for much of March, my doctors have told me that it’s likely I contracted COVID-19 in the last few days. I am staying quarantined at home, and my children and husband are self-isolating. We will all get through this together, and I look forward to seeing my friends, colleagues and constituents when I’m better and no longer at risk of spreading the virus to others.”

Michaelson Jenet began running a fever Sunday night, March 15. She was last at the state Capitol for the Saturday, March 14 session.

Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert of Parker issued a statement wishing Michaelson Jenet a speedy recovery. “On behalf of the Senate Republican caucus, we offer our most sincere wishes to Representative Michaelson Jenet for a full recovery. We also offer our gratitude to members of all four legislative caucuses for supporting the current adjournment of the General Assembly in order to limit the spread of the #COVID19 virus. We are in this together and, working together, we will prevail. May God bless all of the people of #Colorado in these challenging times.”

She was first elected to the General Assembly in 2016 and is running for her third term in November.

Michaelson Jenet has been battling cancer off and on for a decade, starting with breast cancer in 2010. Just after taking office in 2017, she was diagnosed with stage one uterine cancer. 

She has been very public about her battle with cancer. In a blog post in January 2018, she wrote about her cancer journey, stating that “cancer picked the wrong” person.

“I will not let cancer, or anything else keep me from doing the work I so desire to do. There are many in our community who need our help, who struggle to have access to the quality of life they would like to lead. There are children who suffer and struggle and we can help them. There are schools who need our advocacy for their very continued existence. There are youth entangled in the justice system who need real help to make the changes in their own lives to help them towards a productive future and so much more.

“Every step I take towards a physically healthy me, every bite I eat to nourish my body and my soul, is for you, and for me, and for my family and community, because I’ve got so much more to do and cancer can kiss my…well, let’s just say ‘don’t let the door hit you on the way out.'”

Off-session, she is president of the Journey Institute, a non-profit that works with schools, businesses, organizations, and individuals to train in community problem-solving and next-level team-building.