House Physician Warns Congress Members May Have Been Exposed To Covid-19 During Capitol Attack

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MAGA rioters storm the Capitol.

Capitol Police confront rioters in the Capitol

Members of Congress forced to hide-out as MAGA rioters stormed the Capitol on Wednesday may have been exposed to the deadly Covid-19 virus, according to The Washington Post. The paper quoted an email sent by Dr. Brian Monahan, the attending physician, to members of Congress on Sunday morning:

"On Wednesday January 6, many members of the House community were in protective isolation in room located in a large committee hearing space. The time in this room was several hours for some and briefer for others. During this time, individuals may have been exposed to another occupant with coronavirus infection."

The email did not specify how large the group was, but it was confirmed from a video by Punchbowl News that some Republicans refused to wear masks-- including Reps. Andy Biggs (AZ.), Michael Cloud (TX), Markwayne Mullin (OK), and Scott Perry (PA)-- even though Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-PA) offered masks to those without one, according to the Post.

One House member, Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-KS), disclosed on Thursday that he had received a positive coronavirus test on Wednesday evening," said the newspaper. "But Pat Adams, a spokesman for LaTurner, said Sunday that the congressman was not among the members who were taken to the lockdown area in question Wednesday afternoon."


Experts told ABC News, "The riot on Capitol Hill could end up being a superspreader event," though they will not know for weeks.

Covid-19 continues to rage in the country, as the US broke single-day case records over the weekend-- 269,420 cases Friday and 278,920 Saturday. In total, over 300,000 Americans have died from coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For perspective that is nearly half the population of Washington, DC. And, in the last 24 hours, more people died from Covid-19, 3,700, than people who died in the tragic September 11th attacks.

The overwhelming dangers and statistics were still not enough to convince those Republican Congresspeople to wear masks, leaving their mask-wearing colleagues and staff "furious," said AP News.

No further details have come out regarding the potential exposure.

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