Queen guitarist Brian May has issued an appeal to the public to get vaccinated after he contracted COVID-19.
The 74-year-old musician revealed his diagnosis Saturday in a series of Instagram videos in which he explained that he and his wife, Anita Dobson, had been "incredibly careful" and "very hermit-like" throughout the pandemic. However, May said that they decided earlier this month to go to a friend's birthday lunch. Everyone had provided negative COVID-19 tests and they thought they were in the clear ,but days later guests fell ill.
"It seemed like you were in a safe situation. You have your negative tests … What could possibly go wrong? We thought were in a safe bubble so we didn’t wear masks," May said in a follow-up video, explaining that by Monday however, he and his wife had begun experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
"We’re testing the whole time and we’re testing negative. And Tuesday, I hear that I think eight people from the party had already tested positive and had COVID in their systems," May said. "And I realize they had been testing negative up until this point."
May said that, after taking another rapid COVID-19 test, their results came back positive.
"It took that long — Saturday to Tuesday — for the test to show anything," he said, adding that what ensued was the "worst flu that you could imagine."
"I had two horrendous days," he said. However, May believes it could have been a lot worse if he had not received his COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot.
"I can’t emphasize to you enough: This is not the response that my body would have made on its own. It’s making this response because I’ve had three Pfizer jabs," he said. "And I beg you, and implore you, to go and get jabbed if you’re not already. Because you need the help."
May has been vocal about his endorsement for the COVID-19 vaccine while also calling out Eric Clapton for his anti-vaccine stance. Speaking during an interview with The Independent recently, May said Clapton, as well as other people who opposed the COVID-19 vaccine, were "fruitcakes."
"I love Eric Clapton; he's my hero. But he has very different views from me in many ways," May said. "He's a person who thinks it's OK to shoot animals for fun, so we have our disagreements, but I would never stop respecting the man. Anti-vax people? I'm sorry, I think they're fruitcakes."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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