Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) revealed in a recent interview that he had COVID-19 over the summer, but refused to disclose if he has been vaccinated.
Jordan, while speaking with Spectrum News, said he had the virus in the early part of the summer, recalling that he did not feel well while residing in Ohio. The lawmaker also said he has since taken an antibody test that showed that his levels “were strong.”
“I’ve had the virus, I don’t talk about my health status with reporters, but I’ve had the coronavirus and recovered, and actually had my antibodies tested, or had that antibody test done, and it showed that my antibodies were strong,” Jordan said during last week’s interview.
“In fact, the doctor said, ‘You’re in the strong category, you could donate plasma,’ ” he added.
Pressed on if he knew he had the virus, Jordan said he remembers not feeling well over the summer when he was in Ohio.
“I believe it was back early in the summer when, that’s when I didn’t feel well, was back when I was in Ohio,” he said.
Jordan told Spectrum News in June that he had not been inoculated against COVID-19, noting that he was frequently being tested.
Jordan has been critical of COVID-19 mitigation measures in the past. During a congressional hearing in April, the lawmaker questioned Anthony Fauci about when the U.S. would be able to stop discussing public health precautions like wearing masks and physical distancing.
“When do Americans get their freedom back?” Jordan asked. “We had 15 days to slow the spread, turned into a year of lost liberties.”
He later argued that Americans’ First Amendment rights had been “trampled” during the pandemic, pointing to mask orders, curfews and capacity limits for businesses.
Fauci later said comments like Jordan’s are “quite frustrating.”
A number of congressional lawmakers have tested positive for COVID-19, both before and after vaccines were authorized in the U.S.
Jordan announced in October 2020 that he had tested negative for COVID-19 after then-President Trump revealed that he tested positive for the virus.