Ashley Moody credits vaccine for her ‘mild’ COVID-19 case

The attorney general described a swift recovery.

Attorney General Ashley Moody, in a tweet Friday, described her COVID-19 symptoms as “mild,” crediting her swift recovery to the vaccine.

“Still experiencing mild symptoms. However, trusted medical professionals say it could have been much worse had I not been vaccinated,” Moody tweeted.

Moody announced she was diagnosed with COVID-19 Wednesday evening despite receiving a vaccine.

In Friday’s tweet Moody also encouraged Floridians to get vaccinated.

Thank you to everyone for the well wishes.

Still experiencing mild symptoms. However, trusted medical professionals say it could have been much worse had I not been vaccinated.

I am encouraging Floridians who have not been vaccinated to strongly consider doing so.

— AG Ashley Moody (@AGAshleyMoody) July 23, 2021

Moody’s encouraging words about COVID-19 vaccinations come on the heels of similar statements from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The chances of a fully vaccinated person getting seriously ill or dying is “effectively zero,” DeSantis said at a press conference Wednesday. “Moreover, nearly 95% of those admitted to hospitals with the disease aren’t fully vaccinated,” he continued before dismissing the “one-offs” who still get seriously ill.

DeSantis made his statements amid a surge of summer COVID-19 cases that have given Florida the label as epicenter of the delta variant of the virus.

COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are on the rise nationwide, but particularly in Florida. One statistic released by the White House estimated that 20% of the country’s new cases last week occurred in Florida.

But amid his praise for the vaccine, DeSantis has criticized the federal government and local officials on multiple fronts as they try to convince holdouts to get inoculated.

According to data released from the Florida Department of Health last week, only 51.2% of the state’s eligible population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. That’s despite vaccines being widely available for months.

Most unvaccinated people, DeSantis said, rather than thinking the vaccine is a hoax, are younger, and therefore, calculating they could handle an infection.

The worst of the infections in Florida are in Duval County. Local policymakers have pleaded for people to get vaccinated. The Jacksonville area sees fewer vaccinations and a higher percentage of cases than any other major metro in the state. At last count, one in five tests were positive.

Rep. Tracie Davis confirmed Thursday that she contracted coronavirus, despite having been vaccinated. But she, like Moody, said the vaccination spared her serious consequences.

While many lawmakers have tested positive throughout the pandemic, Moody is the first member within DeSantis’ cabinet to test positive.

Notably, Moody accompanied DeSantis and Senate President Wilton Simpson on a trip to the southern border over the weekend for a security briefing alongside Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. That trip took place three days prior to Moody’s announcement of her COVID-19 diagnosis.