Two Democratic lawmakers announced that they tested positive for COVID-19 after taking shelter with members of Congress without a mask during the siege of the US Capitol last week.
Driving the news: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) announced on Tuesday that she had been “locked in a safe room on Capitol Hill, where several Republicans not only cruelly refused to wear a mask, but also mocked colleagues and officials who offered them.”
- Hours earlier, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (DN.J.) tweeted that she decided to do a coronavirus test after last week’s events, “including shelter with several colleagues who refused to wear masks.”
- “She believes she was exposed during protective isolation in the United States Capitol building as a result of insurrectionary unrest,” her office said in a statement from the 75-year-old cancer survivor.
Why it matters: According to a statement by Jayapal, they were in a “crowded room” during a pandemic, “creating an over-spreading event over a domestic terrorist attack”.
- The U.S. Capitol assistant physician warned that lawmakers may have been exposed to someone infected with the coronavirus while hiding from a pro-Trump crowd.
- Many members of Congress are in age groups and other categories that put them at greater risk of dying or suffering serious coronavirus-related illnesses.
For registration: Watson said that she is at home resting. “While I feel mild symptoms, similar to those of the cold, I am still in a good mood and will continue to work on behalf of my constituents”, she tweeted.
- Jayapal said he is isolating himself, but will continue to work and “will not rest until I do everything in my power to remove this president from office,” blaming President Trump for the insurrection of the United States Capitol.
Editor’s note: this article has been updated with new details.