Unvaccinated councillor says she has recovered from COVID-19

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This article was published 17/01/2022 (828 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An unvaccinated city councillor who recently tested positive for COVID-19 says she’s now recovering after “very mild” symptoms.

Coun. Vivian Santos said she tested negative for the virus on Monday night in an email sent to journalists this morning.

“During the four days (of illness), my symptoms remained very mild, almost next to no symptoms,” she wrote.

The councillor previously announced on social media that she had tested positive for the virus on Jan. 13. She is the only city council member to report she is not vaccinated against COVID-19, citing an unspecified medical reason.

Santos said she’s thankful to have a “strong immune system and good metabolic health” that she linked to a quick recovery.

She then urged others to respect “individual health circumstances.”

“It is important to realize that we are all different individuals with our own individual health circumstances. Our bodies are binary where all you need is one input or output to be successful. My personal daily preventative routine measures may work for some people, but I do suggest consulting with your health practitioner first and foremost,” Santos wrote.

Experts say natural immunity kicks in as symptoms abate, but not for as many as one-third of recovered people who can still catch COVID-19 again as they have less protection than what a full course of vaccines provide.

The overwhelming majority of medical experts say vaccines prevent severe outcomes from COVID-19, and that vaccinated people who get infected shed much lower amounts of the coronavirus to others.

— with files from Dylan Robertson

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga