Another Democratic congressman was “caught”.
January 12th local time, Brad Schneider, a Democrat from Illinois, announced that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the third congressman to contract the novel coronavirus after the congressional riots.
Schneider said in a statement that he was tested for the novel coronavirus on the 11th and learned that he had tested positive for the virus on the morning of the 12th.
He has followed the doctor’s advice and taken strict quarantine measures, and he has no symptoms at present.
He retweeted a video of the congressional riots showing several Republican lawmakers hiding in the room during the congressional riots talking up close but without wearing masks, and they also refused masks handed over by a Democrat.
Schneider said that out of fear of the risk of infection, he drove directly back to his home in Deerfield after the riot and quarantined himself at home without close contact with others.
Schneider then denounced Republicans for disregarding public health and irresponsibility: “Now, I am in strict isolation and I have to worry about the threat to my wife’s health.
I am very angry with those who oppose the selfish and arrogant people who wear masks, who ignore the health and safety of other colleagues in order to show their contempt and indifference.
He also called on the House to take punitive measures against members who refuse to wear masks to protect the health and safety of other members.
“We can no longer tolerate those who gather in the halls of Congress without taking protective measures. Those who defy public health guidelines should be punished, and security personnel should drive them out because they endanger their colleagues.
Schneider is already the third U.S. congressman to be recruited after the congressional riots. Rep. Coleman, D-N.J., and D.J.Jayapal, D. of Washington, both announced that they had tested positive for the novel coronavirus on the 11th.
Among them, Coleman was vaccinated against the first dose of Pfizer coronavirus.
NBC noted that House Speaker Pelosi ordered last July that representatives and staff be required to wear masks, but some members obviously turned a blind eye to it. Like Schneider, Jayapal advocated punitive measures against these MPs who did not wear masks.
She advocated fines on them and expelled them from the parliament.
On January 10, Bryan Monaghan, the attending physician of the U.S. Congress, wrote to members of Congress that some of the congressmen hiding in the room during the riots may have come into contact with people infected with COVID-19, and these senators are at great risk of infection.
He reminded lawmakers to be tested for COVID-19 and take precautions against the spread of the virus.
Brown University’s School of Public Health, dean Ashish Jha, told the US media that he expects more congressmen or staff to be diagnosed in the next few days, which he described as “one of the many consequences of that terrible day”.
U.S. health officials warned that the congressional riot could well turn into a serious mass spread, affecting not only lawmakers.
Health officials pointed out that most of the demonstrators who besieged the Capitol at that time did not wear masks.
They may also have also come into contact with people infected with COVID-19, who have now returned to their homes, which may trigger a nationwide spread.
