Kentucky auditor tests positive for COVID-19 a day after receiving vaccine

(The Center Square) – Kentucky Auditor Mike Harmon said in a statement Wednesday morning he has tested positive for COVID-19. He learned of the diagnosis Tuesday, just one day after he received his first dosage of the vaccine for the novel coronavirus.

Harmon said he took a test Tuesday after his wife was told she may have been exposed to the virus. He took his test after her test came back positive. They are currently experiencing mild symptoms so far, he said.

He added that he wasn’t sure if he was exposed to the virus before or after he was injected.

“While the timing of my positive test comes one day after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, I still have full faith in the vaccine itself, and the need for as many people to receive it as quickly as possible,” he said.

Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which are the only ones approved for use in the United States, requires two doses. Pfizer’s version requires 21 days between applications, while Moderna calls for 28 days between them.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it may take a few weeks for vaccinated individuals to develop immunity after receiving both doses. The CDC also stresses that the vaccine itself will not cause people to test positive.

Harmon, along with Secretary of State Michael Adams, Deputy Supreme Court Justice Lisabeth Tabor Hughes and Justice Samuel T. Wright III each received their shots at the Capitol rotunda in Frankfort.

Under Kentucky’s vaccination plan, the first wave of vaccines is being administered to front-line health care workers and residents and staff at long-term care facilities. However, government leaders have been encouraged to get the shots early as well.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who received his first dose last week, invited the other statewide elected officials to take it as well.

“The purpose is to build confidence in the vaccine. If we truly want to defeat COVID, we need to vaccinate more than 70% of Kentucky’s population, and that requires validators who are willing to step up to take the vaccine to show that it’s safe,” said Beshear in a statement announcing Monday’s vaccinations. “This is also important for continuity of government. These are the top elected officials under the Constitution, and it’s critical that they receive the vaccine to perform their functions.”

Not all of Kentucky’s government leaders decided to get the vaccine.

Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said Monday he plans on taking the vaccine and understands the need to protect government continuity. However, he did not think “rank-and-file politicians” should get it before others.

“Though I appreciate the Governor’s invitation, as a healthy 37-year old man with no underlying conditions I would rather my early access vaccine be given to a high-risk individual like a frontline worker or a resident of a long-term care facility, two groups who have unfortunately borne the brunt of the coronavirus,” Quarles said in a statement.