Two House Democrats blame Covid diagnosis on lawmakers who didn’t wear masks while sheltering
Two House Democrats said they tested positive for Covid-19 after sheltering in place with other members of Congress who did not wear masks during the violent attack on the US Capitol last week.
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey and Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington announced their positive test results on Twitter early this week.
“Following the events of Wednesday, including sheltering with several colleagues who refused to wear masks, I decided to take a Covid test. I have tested positive,” Coleman tweeted Monday.
A statement from her office said that the congresswoman “believes she was exposed during protective isolation in the US Capitol building as a result of insurrectionist riots. As reported by multiple news outlets, a number of members within the space ignored instructions to wear masks.”
Jayapal tweeted early Tuesday morning that she “received a positive COVID-19 test result after being locked down in a secured room at the Capitol where several Republicans not only cruelly refused to wear a mask but recklessly mocked colleagues and staff who offered them one.”
CNN has previously reported that six House Republicans were captured on video refusing masks offered by a colleague during the US Capitol insurrection.
An aide told CNN that Watson Coleman was in the room in the secure location with the six conservative Republicans who refused to wear masks.
Lawmakers and Capitol staff on Sunday received a memo from the Capitol’s attending physician warning of a possible risk of Covid-19 exposure after a large group of lawmakers were forced to gather in a secure location during the breach of the US Capitol.
“On Wednesday January 6, many members of the House community were in protective isolation in (a) room located in a large committee hearing space. The time in this room was several hours for some and briefer for others. During this time, individuals may have been exposed to another occupant with coronavirus infection,” Dr. Brian P. Monahan wrote.
In the memo, Monahan instructed lawmakers and staff to monitor for possible Covid-19 symptoms and to be tested for Covid-19 as a precaution.
