Allen West, a Tea Party firebrand and candidate for the Republican nomination as governor of Texas, announced Saturday that he had received monoclonal antibodies injections following being diagnosed with COVID-19-related pneumonia.
These antibodies can be used to treat coronavirus infections in their early stages.
“My chest Xrays show COVID pneumonia. Not serious.” West wrote that he expected to be admitted to the hospital. “There is concern about my oxygen saturation levels. They are at 89, but should be at 95.”
Angela West, his wife, was also positive for the virus and has been given monoclonal antibodies. His Twitter account states that Allen West was not vaccinated, but that his wife was.
Allen West claimed that he attended the Mission Generation Annual Gala and Fundraiser in Seabrook Texas on Thursday. He tweeted Saturday that he was “spending in-person events till receiving an all clear indication.”
West is a former Texas Republican Party Chair and Florida Congressman. In July, he announced that he would challenge Republican Governor Greg Abbot. He is currently running for a third term. Former President Donald Trump has endorsed him.
West’s announcement was made a month after his resignation as chair of Republican Party of Texas.
Later, he moved to Texas but largely kept out of the limelight until he ran for the office of chairman of Texas’ GOP party.
West began to criticize Republicans as much and as Democrats. He called the Texas House GOP speaker a “traitor,” for working across the aisle. Then, West led a protest outside Abbott’s house over restrictions on coronavirus.
West participated in a protest outside Abbot’s house in October 2020. He was critical of Republican governor Rick Scott’s executive orders, including a mandatory statewide mask mandate, and lockdowns because of the coronavirus pandemic. These restrictions have been lifted.