Pennsylvania Democrats: GOP Lawmaker’s Positive COVID-19 Test Kept Secret For A Week
Democrats in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives were annoyed Wednesday after discovering among their Republican colleagues had actually checked positive for the coronavirus and they weren’t informed of the result or notified that he was self-isolating for a week.
State Rep. Andrew Lewis (R) stated in a Facebook post that he checked positive for COVID-19 on May 20 and instantly started self-isolating after getting in touch with the chamber’s personnels department. He stated the body followed standards launched by the Centers for Illness Control and Avoidance “to determine exactly who I may have been in contact with, and who I may have possibly exposed to the virus.” He stated he was last in the Capitol on May 14.
“I can confirm every member or staff member who met the criteria for exposure was immediately contacted and required to self-isolate for 14 days from their date of possible exposure,” Lewis composed. “Out of respect for my family, and those who I may have exposed, I chose to keep my positive case private.”
A spokesperson for House Republicans, Mike Straub, informed Penn Live the chamber “followed data and science” and informed anybody who met CDC and state health standards.
However state Democrats implicated Republicans, who hold a bulk in your house, of keeping the info from the full chamber as the GOP openly promoted a broad resuming of the state. Numerous noted they just found out of Lewis’ results from the media.
“These same Members were among those leading the daily shouts to reopen the state,” Rep. Brian Sims (D) tweeted of his Republicancolleagues “They yelled and screamed about it being safe for others across the state to gather, while they were testing positive and notifying each other, but none of the Democrats that work with them!”
So here’s what requires to occur next:
1) All positive tests in the Republican politician Party, and dates of those tests, be instantly provided to Members of your house.
2) Your home should direct the Capitol medical personnel to instantly refer all Members and personnel for screening.
— Brian Sims (@BrianSimsPA) May 27,2020
Today, we learnt * from journalism * that a member of your house has actually checked positive for COVID-19 and other members were self-quarantining. I’m upset and stunned that the Bulk Party selected not to reveal this info to us. I share my ideas on thisbelow #PAHouse pic.twitter.com/Uf6v4fRahO
— Rep. Jennifer O’Mara (@RepOMara) May 27,2020
Sims later on gotten in touch with House Speaker Mike Turzai and other Republican leaders who kept any info to resign and stated the case ought to be examined by the state attorney general of the United States.
Other Democrats were similarly irritated by the absence of interaction.
“I am livid,” state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D) informed The Philadelphia Inquirer. “They were derelict in their duty when they did not alert us to this immediately. … They put our health at risk, they put our families at risk, and Speaker Turzai should resign, period.”
I believed #PAHouse could not could not become worse, however it has. Found out today that a Republican member checked positive for #COVID a week earlier. He informed R management & & they informed some R members to self-quarantine however never ever notified Democrats. We found out about it from a press reporter today. https://t.co/uv8z4wxMFV
— Rep. Leanne Krueger (@RepLeanne) May 27,2020
Some House Republicans understood for a week that a person of theie members, who had actually been active in hearings and other group settings, had actually checked positive, yet did not notify anybody else. https://t.co/fec7Upf1VN
1/2
— State Rep. Dan Frankel (@RepDanFrankel) May 27,2020
Another Republican politician, state Rep. Russ Diamond, stated Wednesday that he was called on May 21 and asked to self-quarantine however has actually not developed any signs or been checked for the infection. He stated he prepares to go back to the statehouse on Thursday after a 14- day quarantine and protected GOP efforts to resume the economy.
“I’m angry that even though my self-quarantine was not required, but only recommended under CDC guidelines, that there are plenty of people in Pennsylvania who would wag their fingers at me and try to shame me for simply going about my life peacefully,” Diamond composed.
Diamond has actually vocally opposed using masks in public regardless of federal health suggestions.
More the 1.6 million Americans have actually checked positive for the coronavirus. The U.S. passed a bleak milestone on Wednesday, recording 100,000 coronavirus-related deaths.
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