Tessa Quinn
Former Texas Republican Chair and Texas gubernatorial candidate Allen West was hospitalized in October 2021 after contracting COVID-19. West, an anti-vaxxer, had refused to get vaccinated and was admitted to the Medical City Plano hospital for COVID pneumonia. Despite his experience, West remained opposed to vaccine mandates, claiming natural immunity and promoting monoclonal antibody infusion therapy as an alternative. In December 2023, West was hospitalized again after a motorcycle crash, suffering a concussion, several fractured bones, and cuts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for hospitalisation | COVID-19, motorcycle crash |
| Treatment | Monoclonal antibody infusion therapy, hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin |
| Hospital | Medical City Plano hospital |
| Political stance | Anti-vax, anti-vaccine mandates |
| Political position | Republican Texas gubernatorial candidate, former Texas Republican Chair, former US Rep. |
| Personal life | Wife Angela West, who was arrested for DWI with their grandson in the car |
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What You'll Learn
Allen West was hospitalised with COVID-19
Allen West, a retired Army officer, former US Representative, and Republican Texas gubernatorial candidate, was hospitalised with COVID-19 in October 2021. West, who is a well-known anti-vaxxer, had refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to his hospitalisation. He and his wife, Angela, tested positive for the virus, with West experiencing more severe symptoms. West was admitted to Medical City Plano hospital in Texas, where he received monoclonal antibody infusion therapy and was treated for COVID-related pneumonia. Despite his illness, West remained steadfast in his opposition to vaccine mandates, claiming that his recovery was due to the antibody treatment rather than vaccination. He also praised the hospital staff for not forcing him to partake in "harmful protocols", referring to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.
West's blood oxygen level had initially dropped to 84, a level that can have a potential impact on brain function. However, after receiving treatment, his oxygen levels improved to between 94 and 96. He also reported his blood pressure as 120/74 and his temperature as 98.7. West took to Twitter to share updates on his health, including a photo of himself in the hospital and details of his treatment. He also expressed his gratitude to the hospital staff for their care.
West's hospitalisation sparked a debate about vaccine mandates and the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. While some criticised West's continued opposition to vaccine mandates despite his illness, others agreed with his stance, arguing that individuals should have the freedom to choose their own medical treatments. West's experience did not change his anti-vaccine views, and he vowed to continue fighting against what he called the "tyrannical measures" of the Biden administration. He also criticised the idea of injecting Americans with spike proteins, referring to a conspiracy theory about COVID-19 vaccines that has been debunked by experts.
In addition to his COVID-19 hospitalisation, West was also involved in a motorcycle accident in December 2023, which resulted in him suffering a concussion, several fractured bones, and cuts. He was hospitalised in Texas following the crash but has since been released and is recovering.
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He was treated with monoclonal antibody infusion therapy
Allen West, a Republican Texas gubernatorial candidate, was admitted to Medical City Plano hospital in October 2021 after being diagnosed with COVID-19. West, a former Texas Republican Chair, had refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19. He was treated with monoclonal antibody infusion therapy and touted the treatment as an alternative to vaccines, claiming that it gave him "natural immunity and double the antibodies".
Monoclonal antibody infusion therapy is a treatment for COVID-19 that helps the body's immune system fight off the virus. The treatment involves injecting monoclonal antibodies, which are laboratory-made proteins that can recognise and neutralise the virus, into the patient's bloodstream. This helps to reduce the amount of the virus in the body and can prevent the virus from causing more severe illness.
West's decision to undergo monoclonal antibody infusion therapy is notable because he has been a vocal opponent of vaccine mandates and has described himself as ""anti-vax". Despite contracting COVID-19 and requiring hospitalisation, West remained steadfast in his opposition to vaccine mandates, claiming that his experience had made him "more dedicated to fighting against vaccine mandates".
In addition to the monoclonal antibody treatment, West also took hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin prior to his hospitalisation, neither of which are effective treatments for COVID-19. West's blood oxygen level had dropped to a concerning 84, but following treatment, his oxygen levels improved to between 94 and 96. He also reported that his blood pressure was 120/74 and his temperature was 98.7.
West thanked the staff at Medical City Plano hospital for their care and for "not forcing any harmful protocols" on him. He praised the monoclonal antibody infusion therapy and advocated for it as an alternative to vaccines, despite the fact that monoclonal antibody treatments are also developed and manufactured by pharmaceutical companies.
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West refused to get vaccinated
In 2021, Texas gubernatorial candidate Allen West was hospitalized with COVID-19. West, a former Texas Republican Chair, refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19. He had previously claimed that the vaccine was "dangerous" and alluded to conspiracy theories about spike proteins in the vaccines damaging cells, despite experts having debunked this months before.
West's refusal to get vaccinated is particularly notable given that his wife, Angela West, was also infected with COVID-19. Angela, who was vaccinated, recovered far more quickly than West, demonstrating the effectiveness of the vaccine. Despite this, West remained defiant in his opposition to vaccine mandates. In a tweet, he boasted about his health, stating that his ""blood pressure is at 120/74 and my recent temperature reading was 98.7." He also praised the hospital staff for "not forcing any harmful protocols" on him, referring to his belief that the COVID-19 vaccine is dangerous and unnecessary.
West's hospitalization did not change his stance on vaccine mandates, and he vowed to continue fighting against them. He advocated for monoclonal antibody infusion therapy as an alternative to vaccination, despite this treatment also being a product of the pharmaceutical industry. West's experience highlights the ongoing debate and strong opinions surrounding vaccine mandates in the United States.
In a separate incident in December 2023, West was hospitalized again after a motorcycle crash in Texas. He suffered a concussion, several fractured bones, and cuts but was released from the hospital after treatment.
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His wife, Angela, was also treated for COVID-19
In October 2021, Allen West, a Republican Texas gubernatorial candidate, was admitted to Medical City Plano hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19. West, who was unvaccinated, had tweeted about his diagnosis, saying his chest X-rays showed COVID pneumonia but that it was "not serious". Despite his condition, West doubled down on his anti-vaccine stance, saying that his experience had made him more dedicated to fighting vaccine mandates.
West's wife, Angela, was also treated for COVID-19. Angela, who was vaccinated, reportedly recovered much faster than her husband. While West was admitted to the hospital, Angela was able to return home. West thanked people for their support for himself and his wife, who had also been treated. Despite the experience, West remained steadfast in his opposition to vaccine mandates, even praising the hospital staff for "not forcing any harmful protocols" on him.
In December 2023, West was hospitalized again after a motorcycle crash. He suffered a concussion, several fractured bones, and cuts and was released from the hospital after treatment.
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West was hospitalised after a motorcycle crash in 2023
Allen West, a former US Representative, was hospitalized in Texas after a motorcycle crash in 2023. West suffered a concussion, several fractured bones, and cuts in the accident. He was one of two motorcyclists involved in the crash, which occurred on Interstate 35 in West, Texas, on Saturday. According to a Facebook post by West, an unidentified vehicle changed lanes unsafely in front of them, causing the collision. Both motorcyclists were taken to a hospital in Waco, where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. West has since been released from the hospital and is recovering.
This is not the first time West has been in the news for health-related issues. In 2021, he made headlines when he was hospitalized with COVID-19. Despite being an anti-vaxxer, West received treatment at Medical City Plano Hospital, where he underwent monoclonal antibody infusion therapy. West's blood oxygen level had dropped to 84, but thanks to medical treatment, his levels rose to between 94 and 96. West also had COVID-related pneumonia, but his chest X-rays showed it was not serious. Interestingly, his hospitalization did not change his anti-vaccine stance, and he even vowed to oppose vaccine mandates more vigorously.
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Frequently asked questions
Allen West was admitted to the hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia.
West received monoclonal antibody infusion therapy. He also took hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, neither of which are effective against COVID-19.
Despite his hospitalisation, West remained opposed to vaccine mandates. He praised the hospital staff for "not forcing any harmful protocols" on him.
