After Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) announced on Sunday he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Utah's two Republican senators — Mitt Romney and Mike Lee — both said they have decided to self-quarantine.
Paul is the first confirmed case of coronavirus in the Senate. His office said he was asymptomatic, but was tested because he travels often and attends lots of events. Once he learned he tested positive for coronavirus, Paul went into quarantine at his home in Kentucky. His office did not say when he was tested.
Romney's office tweeted that because he sat next to Paul "for extended periods in recent days," he has been ordered by a doctor to "immediately self-quarantine and not to vote on the Senate floor. He has no symptoms but will be tested. He urges members to pass a relief package as quickly as possible that provides assistance for families, workers, and small businesses."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Senate is now negotiating a $1.4 trillion coronavirus aid package. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Sunday said there are at least five Republican senators who have self-quarantined — in addition to Paul, Lee, and Romney, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) both went into isolation last week after learning they came into contact with a person who has coronavirus.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.