Rep. Lou Correa announces COVID-19 diagnosis

Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., announced Saturday that he has contracted COVID-19.

In a statement posted to Twitter, Correa wrote that he will self-quarantine and will abstain from attending President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration Wednesday.

"In my community, everyone knows someone affected. COVID-19 has hit us hard, and for months, families have struggled while our community attempts to contain the virus," he said in a statement. "Even in quarantine, I will continue to work for them and ensure my struggling neighbors in Central Orange County have the assistance they need to survive," he said in a statement.

Correa's spokesperson, Andrew Scibetta, told CNN the congressman is symptom-free.

Correa, who received his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine Dec. 19, underwent a routine COVID-19 test when he returned to California from Washington, D.C., his staff said in a statement.

The Centers for Disease Control has said building immunity to COVID-19 can take a few weeks after vaccination to build up immunity.

"Therefore, it is possible that a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and then get sick because the vaccine did not have enough time to provide protection," said a fact sheet from the CDC on how the vaccine works.

Earlier this week, Correa was accosted at Dulles International Airport by supporters of President Donald Trump.