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U.S. Senator Angus King, 77, of Maine said the COVID-19 vaccine kept him from the hospital after a breakthrough infection and urged others to get the shot, the Associated Press reported.
The senator, who is an independent, said he is "convinced the vaccine saved my life" while speaking to the AP after testing positive for COVID-19 on August 19. Although he doesn't know whether he came down with the virus in Maine or Washington, a number of other senators tested positive for COVID-19 during a similar time frame.
"It was pretty bad," King said. "It was like the worst head cold you ever had, times two."
"I really urge people to get vaccinated. The science is there. About a billion people have taken it at this point. There's little doubt I would've been in the hospital in serious condition if I hadn't been vaccinated," King added.
Currently, 82 U.S. representatives and senators have tested positive for COVID-19, according to government transparency website Govtrack.us.
The same day King tested positive, Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado alongside Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi both announced they tested positive for COVID-19.
For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.
King said he hopes his rough-and-tumble experience in which he received an infusion to help fight the virus will help others who might be on the fence about getting the vaccine.
As he rests at home, he said he's feeling fine now.
King's symptoms started with a runny nose and headache, he said, and he was feeling bad enough to get tested the following day. When he tested positive, he began isolating at home in Maine.
The symptoms were worrisome. He said he had extreme sinus congestion and kept coughing to the point his ribs hurt. It was nearly impossible to sleep, he said.
Because of his age, King was provided with monoclonal antibodies during a brief visit to PenBay Medical Center. That marked the turning point, though it's unclear how much the infusion factored into the recovery.
He said he understands that some might question the value of the vaccine — he received the Pfizer version — since he still ended up getting COVID-19.
But he said the statistics point toward the value of the vaccine, noting that 99 percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations involve those who are not vaccinated while inoculated people have milder symptoms.
He said that based on his symptoms and his age, he believes he would've ended up in the hospital without the vaccine.
