More than 100 National Guard members stationed on Capitol Hill tested positive for COVID-19, defense officials said on Friday.
Photos and reports of guard members working closely with one another raised concerns about a possible outbreak.
Senator Roy Blunt, R-Mo., Told Fox News that his office is investigating what kind of coronavirus precautions guards took during the deployment in Washington, DC
Members of the Florida National Guard did not take the COVID-19 tests before they were sent, but performed tests and received the Modern vaccine before traveling, a spokesman for the state’s Department of Military Affairs told Fox News. Service members wore masks and underwent daily checkups, and no Florida member tested positive.
NATIONAL GUARD INTERVAL TIME IN THE CAPITOLA AREA PARKING GARAGE DOES SMOKED LAWYERS
No Wisconsin service member has tested positive either, Wisconsin National Guard Major Joe Trovato told Fox News on Friday.
“All of our troops are examined clinically every day for COVID-19, and they have been examined before traveling to Washington, DC, and every day since then,” said Trovato. “Our troops have also implemented COVID mitigation strategies, such as mandatory masks and social distance whenever possible.”
Several lawmakers were outraged on Wednesday night to learn that the military was forced to huddle in a parking lot to rest on their shifts, and a handful of governors ordered their troops to return home.
The National Guard said it has been working with the Capitol Police to ensure that guards are in appropriate spaces.
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“The USCP and the National Guard coordinated their efforts to ensure that National Guard men and women are stationed throughout the Capitol Complex in appropriate spaces within Congressional buildings, including the US Capitol, where they can take service breaks” The agency’s spokesman told Fox News in a statement on Friday. “Out-of-service troops are being housed in hotel rooms or other comfortable accommodations.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Montana Governor Greg Gianforte ordered National Guard members to return home after their inauguration.
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Nearly 26,000 National Guard soldiers were sent to Washington, DC, to deal with the potential unrest surrounding President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
The National Guard said on Thursday that 10,600 soldiers remain on duty in Washington, DC, and approximately 7,000 soldiers will remain on Capitol Hill until the end of this month.
Jacqui Heinrich of Fox News contributed to this report.