US congressman contracts COVID-19 — after first dose of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine

Kevin Brady, a Republican member of the US house of representatives, says he has tested positive for COVID-19.

Brady said his result came back positive shortly before he was due to receive the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.

He said he received the first dose of the vaccine — administered in two doses 21 days apart — on December 18.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), in December, gave approval for the emergency use of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

“Tonite the Office of House Physician informed me that I’ve tested positive for COVID-19 & am quarantined. As recommended, I received a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine Dec. 18 & also recently tested negative for Covid on New Year’s Day,” Brady wrote on Twitter.

Tonite the Office of House Physician informed me that I’ve tested positive for Covid 19 & am quarantined.

As recommended, I received a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine Dec 18 & also recently tested negative for Covid on New Years Day.

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Begin treatment tomorrow.
Shld be fine.🙏🏼

— Kevin Brady (@RepKevinBrady) January 6, 2021

Brady is not the first person who has contracted the coronavirus after receiving the vaccine.

In December 2020, a US nurse tested positive after receiving the vaccine, but Christian Ramers, an infectious disease specialist with Family Health Centers of San Diego, had said the Pfizer vaccine requires time for the body to attain immunity against COVID-19.

Over 50 members of the US congress have tested positive for COVID-19 and the country has recorded over 21 million cases of the virus.

On Sunday, Moncef Slaoui, the lead scientist in the United States’ COVID-19 response task force, had said the government is considering halving the doses for some people in a bid to speed up the vaccination process.

However, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended against reducing the dose.