Rand Paul says he won't get COVID vaccine because he believes illness made him immune

Senator Rand Paul during an interview with John Catsimatidis said that he does not plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine because he has already contracted the illness and has developed natural immunity.

The Kentucky Republican noted that “until they show me evidence that people who've already had the infection are dying in large numbers or being hospitalized or getting very sick," he has personally chosen not to get vaccinated since he previously had the illness and believes that he now possesses natural immunity. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that individuals who have previously had the illness still get vaccinated: "Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19," the CDC website says. "If you were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine."