The country’s leading infectious disease expert says that the scene of members of Congress – some without masks – taking shelter in crowded rooms while the US Capitol was being invaded by protesters looked like a “subway car during rush hour”, The Daily Beast Tuesday reports.
At least three Democratic lawmakers tested positive for COVID-19 after they sat in committee rooms with many of their colleagues for several hours during the January 6 uprising on Capitol Hill. The Congressional attending physician warned that the incident could become a superspreader event and advised Chamber members and staff to take the test immediately.
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Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (DN.J.) and Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) Announced that they tested positive over a 24-hour period. All three pointed a finger at several of their Republican colleagues who refused to wear masks during the blockade for their positive results.
Scenes first published by Punchbowl News last week, it showed members of the Republican Party without a mask who refused to accept the masks that were offered while they were in the room.
Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), said the incident is likely to lead to more cases among lawmakers.
“Of course, when you have people indoors without social distance or masks, there are likely to be some infections,” Fauci told The Daily Beast.
“I’m just going to do what I said maybe 5,000 times in the past few months – the recommendation is that you wear masks evenly, keep your physical distance, avoid crowded environments, especially indoors, and wash your hands as often as you possibly can. Any deviation from this by anyone is creating a risk of acquiring and / or spreading infection. It doesn’t matter who you are, ”Fauci told the outlet.
Two House Democrats on Tuesday introduced a bill to fine lawmakers who do not wear masks for Capitol reasons. The proposed legislation would fine Congress members $ 1,000 a day for refusing to use facial coverage.
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