It is not clear how many of the 38 police officers may be on duty during the attack or when they contracted the virus. But health officials fear that the mass of unmasked people, many screaming and pushing, will result in the spread of the virus. Several police officers were attacked directly during the insurrection.
On Friday, 19 Capitol police officers had tested positive in more than two weeks since the attack, Gus Papathanasiou, chairman of the United States Capitol Police Working Committee, told CNN by email. The union was also unable to confirm whether these officers were on duty on the day of the attack.
“After Wednesday’s events, including shelter with several colleagues who refused to wear masks, I decided to take a Covid test. I tested positive,” Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey tweeted on January 11.
A statement from her office said the congresswoman “believes she was exposed during protective isolation at the United States Capitol building as a result of insurrectionist riots. As reported by various media outlets, several members in the space ignored the instructions for wearing masks” .
Capitol lawmakers and officials received a memo from the Capitol assistant physician warning of a possible risk of exposure to Covid-19 after a large group of lawmakers was forced to meet in a safe place during the violation of the U.S. Capitol.
“On Wednesday, January 6, many members of the House community were in protective isolation in (a) a room located in a large audience space of the committee. The time in this room was several hours for some and shorter for others. During that time, individuals may have been exposed to another occupant with coronavirus infection, “wrote Dr. Brian P. Monahan in the January 10 memo.