New White House chief of staff Mark Meadows will self-quarantine after he interacted with someone who tested positive for coronavirus at the Conservative Political Action Conference, The Washington Post reports.
Meadows, the former North Carolina congressman tapped to replace Mick Mulvaney last week, learned that he “may have come in contact” with someone who tested positive at CPAC.
Meadows tested negative for the virus but will self-quarantine until Wednesday as a precaution.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar both said they will self-quarantine after interacting with the individual at CPAC, though they stressed neither they nor their staff have any symptoms.
Others fly with Trump:
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz flew on Air Force One with Trump when he learned he was among those who interacted with the person at CPAC.
Gaetz told The Post that he was put into a “closed-up room” after finding out but Trump “coaxed” him up front before he left the plane.
“He was not hyper-cautious about being in the same space that I was in,” Gaetz said. “I refused to go into his office; I stood outside the door. I told him he could talk from that distance.”
George Rep. Doug Collins also found out he interacted with the person after meeting with Trump last Friday.
“While I feel completely healthy and I am not experiencing any symptoms, I have decided to self-quarantine at my home for the remainder of the 14-day period out of an abundance of caution,” Collins said in a statement.
Another lawmaker, Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert, said he may have possibly been exposed as well but would not self-quarantine and would return to Congress.
Trump not tested:
"The President has not received COVID-19 testing because he has neither had prolonged close contact with any known confirmed COVID-19 patients, nor does he have any symptoms. President Trump remains in excellent health, and his physician will continue to closely monitor him," White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said on Monday. "Per current CDC guidelines, medical professionals should base testing decisions on patient symptoms and exposure history."
