Andrew Lewis Had Coronavirus. Nobody Told Democrats Exposed to Him. - The New York Times

Democrats in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives on Thursday accused Republicans of keeping a lawmaker’s positive coronavirus test a secret to avoid political embarrassment, even at the risk of exposing their Democratic colleagues.

Representative Andrew Lewis, a Republican, confirmed on Wednesday that he received a positive test on May 20 and went into self-isolation. Mr. Lewis said that every lawmaker or staff member he had been in contact with who “met the criteria for exposure” was notified.

But Democrats disputed that, saying that none of their own members were alerted even though some were in proximity to Mr. Lewis in committee meetings.

The House Democratic campaign arm accused Republicans of keeping Mr. Lewis’s positive test a secret “to protect their public talking points against science and facts.” Another Republican, Representative Russ Diamond, said he was notified of possible exposure and went into quarantine. He spoke last month at an anti-shutdown protest outside the Capitol and recently boasted on social media of not wearing a mask while shopping.

In an emotional and profanity-laced Facebook video recorded in his office at the Capitol, Representative Brian K. Sims, a Democrat from Philadelphia, said Mr. Diamond had “apparently been quarantining himself for weeks” but “didn’t explain that to any of us when he was in committee, talking with us or walking up and down the aisles or bumping into us or letting us hold the door open for him.”

“How dare you put our lives at risk,” Mr. Sims said, noting that he had recently donated a kidney. “How dare you put our families at risk.”

Mr. Lewis said that after experiencing “mild flulike symptoms,” he sought a test on May 18. He kept his positive diagnosis private “out of respect for my family, and those who I may have exposed,” he wrote on Facebook. He also said that May 14 was his last day in the Capitol and that, as of Wednesday, he was fully recovered and his quarantine was over.

Representative Kevin J. Boyle, the Democratic chairman of the state government committee, said he had sat near Mr. Lewis about a week before his positive test, and had not been told. “The fact the Republican caucus didn’t inform the Democratic caucus is deeply reckless and immoral,” he said.

He speculated on why the caucus had not done so: “The optics are terrible” for Republicans, he said. “Lewis and Diamond have been high-profile members of the anti-shutdown movement. They’ve been consistently telling everyone we’ve overreacted with shutdown orders and Covid-19 is not the danger it is.” Mr. Boyle asked the Pennsylvania attorney general, Josh Shapiro, to investigate whether Republican leaders broke the law.

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On Twitter, Mr. Diamond said he had not been tested during his self-isolation and he mocked “lefties” who “whine” about it.

Republican lawmakers, including Mr. Lewis, have introduced bills seeking to weaken the emergency shutdown orders of Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat. As in many states, Pennsylvania has seen a tug of war between Republican lawmakers who are concerned about the economy — and who sometimes mock mask-wearing and social distancing — and a governor who has sought to follow the recommendations of health experts. President Trump has encouraged states to quickly reopen and has flouted wearing a mask around others.

As of Thursday, there have been at least 74,312 coronavirus cases reported in Pennsylvania, and 5,397 deaths, according to a New York Times database.

A spokesman for the House Republicans, Mike Straub, said that state and federal guidelines were followed in determining whom to notify, specifically anyone who had been in close contact with Mr. Lewis in the 48 hours before his symptoms began. “Representative Lewis was only in the Capitol for a short period of time within that window — so tracing who he was in contact with was easily verified,” Mr. Straub said in a statement.

On Thursday afternoon, Mr. Sims, speaking on the House floor, disputed both that timeline and when Mr. Lewis was infectious, which Mr. Sims said would have been as early as May 4, two weeks before his positive test. Mr. Lewis was present in the Capitol on six days when he could have been infectious, Mr. Sims said.

The Coronavirus Outbreak

• Frequently Asked Questions and Advice

  Updated May 28, 2020

  • What’s the risk of catching coronavirus from a surface?

    Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.

  • What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

    Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.

  • How can I protect myself while flying?

    If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)

  • How many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus in the U.S.?

    More than 40 million people — the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. workers — have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold. One in five who were working in February reported losing a job or being furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said.

  • Is ‘Covid toe’ a symptom of the disease?

    There is an uptick in people reporting symptoms of chilblains, which are painful red or purple lesions that typically appear in the winter on fingers or toes. The lesions are emerging as yet another symptom of infection with the new coronavirus. Chilblains are caused by inflammation in small blood vessels in reaction to cold or damp conditions, but they are usually common in the coldest winter months. Federal health officials do not include toe lesions in the list of coronavirus symptoms, but some dermatologists are pushing for a change, saying so-called Covid toe should be sufficient grounds for testing.

  • Can I go to the park?

    Yes, but make sure you keep six feet of distance between you and people who don’t live in your home. Even if you just hang out in a park, rather than go for a jog or a walk, getting some fresh air, and hopefully sunshine, is a good idea.

  • How do I take my temperature?

    Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications.

  • Should I wear a mask?

    The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.

  • What should I do if I feel sick?

    If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

  • How do I get tested?

    If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested.

  • How can I help?

    Charity Navigator, which evaluates charities using a numbers-based system, has a running list of nonprofits working in communities affected by the outbreak. You can give blood through the American Red Cross, and World Central Kitchen has stepped in to distribute meals in major cities.

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He accused Republican leaders of knowing about the positive test and not disclosing it as lawmakers returned to their homes for the Memorial Day holiday. “A massive holiday went by before we were notified, but people here interacted with their families,” he said, adding, “That’s unconscionable.”

Representative Ryan Bizzarro, a Democrat who was tested for the coronavirus on Thursday in Harrisburg, the capital, said: “The thing that was just infuriating about this whole situation is that we found out the Republican caucus leadership knew about this and tried to bury it.”

In a party-line vote, Republicans defeated a Democratic motion to adjourn through June 8 to investigate Republicans’ handling of the episode. Democrats also proposed new rules to require all lawmakers to wear masks on the House floor and in committees, and to have their temperatures checked before being admitted to the floor or committee rooms. The Republican majority leader, Bryan Cutler, quashed the proposed changes.

During the debate, one Democrat, Representative Robert Matzie, referring to an illustrious former leader of the Pennsylvania Assembly, said, “I have to believe that if Ben Franklin had Covid-19 he’d tell everyone.”

Some Democrats, including Mr. Sims, have called for the current House speaker, Mike Turzai, to step down. Mr. Sims ended his floor speech with a flourish, saying, “Mike Turzai, you need to resign immediately.”

Mr. Turzai responded that he had not been informed at the time of Mr. Lewis’s positive test. He pledged that if he tested positive for the virus, he would immediately disclose the results publicly.

“And I do think that all members should follow the same protocol,” he said in an implicit rebuke of Mr. Lewis.

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