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Lawmakers may have been exposed to coronavirus in Capitol lockdown, attending physician says

By Amy B Wang and
Paulina Firozi
Jan. 10, 2021 at 5:19 p.m. GMT
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/10/lawmakers-may-have-been-exposed-coronavirus-capitol-lockdown-attending-physician-says/

Lawmakers who hunkered down together for safety while a pro-Trump mob attacked the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday may have been exposed to someone in the same room who was infected with the coronavirus, according to the Office of the Attending Physician.

“On Wednesday January 6, many members of the House community were in protective isolation in room located in a large committee hearing space,” Brian Monahan, the attending physician to Congress, wrote in an email that was sent to members of Congress on Sunday morning.

Monahan did not specify how large the group of lawmakers in the room was.

“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 stated. “Please continue your usual daily coronavirus risk reduction measures (daily symptom inventory checklist, mask wear, and social distancing). Additionally, individuals should obtain an RT-PCR coronavirus test next week as a precaution.”

More than two million coronavirus cases have been reported in the United States so far this year, and for the first time, the seven-day average for new deaths has surpassed 3,000 deaths a day, according to a Washington Post analysis. The daily death toll for the first time surpassed 4,000 just one day after Wednesday’s insurrection. Experts have warned the storming of the Capitol building could have contributed to the public health crisis as a potential superspreader event.

This is a developing story.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/10/lawmakers-may-have-been-exposed-coronavirus-capitol-lockdown-attending-physician-says/