Rep. Adriano Espaillat
Adriano de Jesus Espaillat CabralER doctor selected to lead Spanish caucus against China’s influence in Caribbean Islands with a second Caribbean Basin Initiative Legislators ask for small business help at all levels of government MORE (DN.Y.) announced Thursday that he tested positive for the coronavirus, making him the seventh lawmaker to have contracted the virus since the riots in the Capitol last week.
Espaillat, 66, falls into a high-risk category for severe coronavirus infection, and says he will quarantine on the advice of his doctor. He received the second dose of Pfizer / BioNTech coronavirus vaccine last week, although he realized it would take time for the protection of the shot to take effect.
‘I received the second dose of the # COVID19 vaccine last week and understand the effects take time. I still tested regularly, wore my mask and followed the recommended guidelines, ‘he tweeted.
‘I will perform my duties in respect of the 13th Congress District of New York at a distance until I have received approval from my doctor. I encourage all residents to follow public health guidelines for the safety of our # NY13 community. ”
I will continue my duties in respect of the 13th Congress District of New York at a distance until I have received approval from my doctor. I encourage all residents to follow public health guidelines for our safety # NY13 community.
– Adriano Espaillat (@RepEspaillat) 14 January 2021
He added in a follow-up statement to The Hill that he is currently experiencing no symptoms. The New York lawmaker said he “has been tested regularly, including the past two days since I traveled from New York to Washington” and that he got his positive result after taking another test on Wednesday night.
Espaillat is just the latest in a series of lawmakers to announce coronavirus diagnoses after a mob stormed the Capitol last week, forcing lawmakers to flee to their offices or other safe places. Of the seven lawmakers who have since contracted the coronavirus, three were in a safe room during the riots with Republicans who they say refused to wear masks.
Since January 6, representatives Jake LaTurner (R-Kan.), Michelle Steel (R-California), Chuck Fleischmann
Charles (Chuck) Joseph Fleischmann Growing number of lawmakers test positive for COVID-19 after Capitol siege READ: Republicans who choose to challenge election results GOP lawmakers appear more frequently on Newsmax (R-Tenn.), Bonnie Watson Coleman
Bonnie Watson ColemanOvernight Health Care: Trump admin makes changes to speed vaccinations | CDC orders negative tests for international travelers More lawmakers test positive after Capitol Democrats’ siege to impose fines on homeless lawmakers. Increasing number of legislators test positive for COVID-19 after the siege of the Capitol MORE (DN.J.), Pramila Jayapal
Pramila JayapalOvernight Health Care: Trump admin makes changes to speed vaccinations CDC must order negative tests for international travelers More lawmakers test positive after Capitol Democrats’ siege to lift fines on maskless lawmakers on House floor. Increasing number of legislators test positive for COVID-19 after the siege of the Capitol MORE (D-Wash.) En Brad Schneider
Bradley (Brad) Scott Schneider The Hill’s Morning Report – How many Republicans will vote for Trump’s accusation? Overnight health care: Trump admin makes changes to speed vaccines CDC must order negative tests for international travelers More lawmakers test positive after Democrats’ Capitol investment to lift fines on maskless lawmakers on House floor MORE (D-Ill.) All announced positive test results. Coleman, Jayapal and Schneider all said they were in a safe room with the maskless lawmakers.
‘Several Republican lawmakers in the House steadfastly refused to wear a mask … even if their colleagues politely asked for it. Today I am now in strict isolation, worried that I have risked my wife’s health and angry at the selfishness and arrogance of the anti-masks who put their own contempt and contempt for decency above the health and safety of their colleagues and our staff “Schneider said in a statement that he would announce his diagnosis this week.
The home office of the attending physician distributed a letter to members urging them to keep a close eye on their health after realizing that at least one person who was in the lock with them was infected. There are also concerns that rioters could have spread the virus as they passed through the Capitol building.
Dozens of lawmakers from both parties have contracted COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and members of both chambers began receiving vaccinations last month.