Rep. Massie says he has three times the average level of virus antibodies after January illness

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie says he now believes that far more people across the United States likely fell ill with the novel coronavirus in late 2019 and early 2020 than originally understood. 

"Lots of people say, 'I think I had this in December, in January.' I don't doubt any of them now," Massie said on the "John Solomon Reports" podcast Tuesday. 

In January, the GOP congressman was severely ill with an infection that doctors treated like pneumonia. He was given a shot of Rocephin, a strong antibiotic administered in pneumonia cases, and began to feel better almost immediately. 

He now believes that perhaps the illness he had in early 2020 was the novel coronavirus, particularly because the infection quickly spread to his wife and daughter.

Massie's wife recently tested positive for coronavirus antibodies as well. Their 16-year-old daughter is also getting the test. 

Several weeks ago, following the coronavirus diagnosis of his friend and colleague Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Massie attempted to get tested by a Capitol Hill physician.

He was told he would have to wait several days for the test, but was able to take an antibody test on the spot, after which, he was told "not only do you have the antibodies, you've got three times the level of what would be considered a robust response."

The virus, says Massie, was likely here earlier than it was formally detected, and almost certainly before either political side felt salient to address. 

"Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans want to admit it was here in December, in January," said Massie, "because you go back, Pelosi was walking around Chinatown in February, trying to convince people this wasn't anything to worry about."

Massie also thinks that even with President Trump's shut down of flights from China, Chinese nationals were flying to the U.S. through other countries. He recounted a story he was told of flights coming to the U.S. from Africa full of individuals traveling from China. 

"They knew, nobody was going to stop planes from Africa to the United States," said Massie, saying it would've been viewed as too "politically incorrect." L

Listen to the rest of Congressman Massie's interview with John Solomon here.