US lawmaker reports COVID infection following meeting with Ukrainian president Dallas, Texas Rep. Colin Allred (United States Congress/Released)
This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
U.S. Representative Collin Allred says he has tested positive for COVID-19 following a trip to Ukraine as part of a congressional delegation to meet with officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Allred (Democrat-Texas) reported the positive test on January 30 after returning to his home in Dallas.
The 38-year-old lawmaker had traveled with 10 other members of the U.S. Congress to Brussels and Ukraine on a trip that included a meeting with Zelenskiy.
He said in a statement that he tested negative for the virus before boarding a flight back to Texas and again after landing, before testing positive on January 30.
Allred said he has mild symptoms and that he is fully vaccinated and has had a booster shot.
Allred said he and the other members of his delegation were tested throughout the trip, including before their meeting with Zelenskiy.
The congressional trip to Kyiv came amid heightened fears that Russia is poised to launch a military offensive against Ukraine.
Moscow denies it is planning an incursion despite stationing tens of thousands of troops along its border with Ukraine.
Kyiv has received strong bipartisan support among members of the U.S. Congress.
