Mark Meadows Self-Quarantined After Exposure to Coronavirus

Incoming White House Chief of Staff and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) revealed on Monday night that he will self-quarantine, as he might have been exposed to someone who had the novel coronavirus.

Meadows spokesman Ben Williamson said in a statement on Monday:

Rep. Meadows was advised this weekend that he may have come in contact with the CPAC attendee who tested positive for COVID-19, now 12 days ago. Out of an abundance of caution, Meadows received testing which came back negative. While he’s experiencing zero symptoms, under doctors’ standard precautionary recommendations, he’ll remain at home until the 14 day period expires this Wednesday.

Meadows joins a growing list of lawmakers that may have been exposed to coronavirus after attending CPAC two weeks ago.

Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Paul Gosar (R-TX), Doug Collins (R-GA), and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) have announced over the last two days that they may have been exposed to coronavirus after attending the conservative conference two weeks ago.

Gohmert said in a statement on Monday:

Saturday night, I got a call from the House physician advising that I had been possibly been exposed to the COVID-19 virus at CPAC on February 27th, and that a top CDC physician in Atlanta would call me to discuss what should be done going forward…I was and am asymptomatic.

Meadows’s announcement follows as President Donald Trump and the White House commenced several steps to help Americans suffering economically from the spread of the coronavirus.

President Trump said that he would meet with congressional leaders on Tuesday to discuss a payroll tax cut, financial assistance for hourly workers, loans for small businesses, and financial aid for the airline and cruise industries.

The president said, “We are going to take care of and have been taking care of the American public and the American economy.”