Country singer Reba McEntire has walked back a claim she made earlier this month that she and her boyfriend had contracted COVID-19 despite being vaccinated.
During an Aug. 23 episode of Talk Shop Live, McEntire told host Nancy O'Dell that while she thought she had contracted COVID-19, she had actually been suffering from respiratory syncytial virus.
"I did say that I had COVID, but when I got tested, my antibodies — it came up that I had not had COVID," McEntire said. "I had my antibodies from my vaccine. So I had all the symptoms. I did get tested, you know, the test that I had, and it said that I had it. But then, the nurse that came and tested me for my antibodies said that I probably had the RSV virus."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms that can be serious in infants or older adults.
McEntire had previously announced that she and boyfriend Rex Linn had contracted a breakthrough COVID-19 infection in a TikTok live video earlier this month.
"I did get it; Rex and I both got it. We're both vaccinated, and we still got it," McEntire said.
She later encouraged fans to wear masks and "stay protected as best you can."
According to the CDC, it is possible to contract COVID-19 after being vaccinated, though those who get their shots are far less likely to suffer a severe case of the virus. The agency reports that 99.99% who suffered a breakthrough infection avoid hospitalization or death.
