Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) appeared to blamed unnamed maskless Republicans for several cases of COVID-19 in the United States Senate, among them Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). House Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) has also tested positive for the virus.
Stabenow spoke Monday with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, and she argued that COVID-19 was spreading through the halls of Congress because of some Republicans who refuse to wear masks.
.@SenStabenow blames Republicans not wearing masks for Sens. Warren & Booker catching Covid; “unfortunately, people on the Republican side, the majority are not [wearing masks], which is also frustrating.” pic.twitter.com/VktqqzeAup
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) December 20, 2021
“Very briefly, now, we’ve heard that Senators Warren and Booker both have had breakthrough cases,” Mitchell began. “Have you heard of any more cases? And what concerns do you have about the way the — protections against COVID in the Senate as you’ve all been working together so closely?”
“Well, we are working together closely,” Stabenow agreed, adding, “People on my side of the aisle are uniformly wearing masks, unfortunately, people on the Republican side, the majority are not, which is also frustrating — but I obviously send them my best. Thank goodness they have both been vaccinated and received a booster, which hopefully means that they will not have serious symptoms as a result of this.”
“That’s really what needs to happen, people need to get vaccinated, they need to protect themselves,” Stabenow continued. “We know that this new variant is extremely contagious and we also know that it is not that serious if you have been vaccinated and boosted. So, I would encourage everyone to do that as a Christmas present, as a holiday present for themselves and their families.”
Booker announced Sunday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 after feeling symptoms for about one day, saying that if he had not already received the vaccine and booster dose, he expected he would be feeling much worse.
“I learned today that I tested positive for COVID-19 after first feeling symptoms on Saturday. My symptoms are relatively mild. I’m beyond grateful to have received two doses of vaccine and, more recently, a booster – I’m certain that without them I would be doing much worse,” he said.
I learned today that I tested positive for COVID-19 after first feeling symptoms on Saturday. My symptoms are relatively mild. I’m beyond grateful to have received two doses of vaccine and, more recently, a booster – I’m certain that without them I would be doing much worse.
— Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) December 20, 2021
Warren also tested positive on Sunday — and like Booker, used her announcement to encourage others to get vaccinated and get a booster shot as soon as they were eligible to do so.
“I regularly test for COVID & while I tested negative earlier this week, today I tested positive with a breakthrough case. Thankfully, I am only experiencing mild symptoms & am grateful for the protection provided against serious illness that comes from being vaccinated & boosted,” she tweeted.
I regularly test for COVID & while I tested negative earlier this week, today I tested positive with a breakthrough case. Thankfully, I am only experiencing mild symptoms & am grateful for the protection provided against serious illness that comes from being vaccinated & boosted.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) December 19, 2021