COVID-19 strikes workplaces from US Senate floor to Maine DHHS office
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U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said Thursday he had tested positive for COVID-19. Two other senators made similar announcements on the same day.
As health care providers and employers grapple with the resurgence of COVID-19, U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and two fellow lawmakers on Thursday provided a chilling reminder of its danger in the workplace — even for those who are vaccinated.
King’s office said he tested positive for COVID-19 that morning, after he began feeling ill Wednesday.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, King said he had taken “all precautions” against the disease, including the use of face masks, social distancing, remote work, regular testing and receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
“None of these were convenient, but nor were they onerous; my actions were a part of being a responsible member of the community and listening to the medical professionals who spend years to become masters of their science and keep us alive and healthy,” he said.
“Despite all my efforts, when I began feeling mildly feverish yesterday, I took a test this morning at my doctor’s suggestion, and it came back positive. While I am not feeling great, I’m definitely feeling much better than I would have without the vaccine. I am taking this diagnosis very seriously, quarantining myself at home and telling the few people I’ve been in contact with to get tested in order to limit any further spread.”
King is currently in Maine, where he returned after the Senate recessed Aug. 11.
In addition to King, U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., both said on Thursday they had received positive test results for the novel coronavirus. Like King, Wicker and Hickenlooper have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
It's impossible to determine how the lawmakers were exposed to the disease. But all three and nearly every other senator recently huddled in the chamber for long hours, including for an all-night budget vote on the eve of the recess.
In other COVID-related news, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services said Friday morning it had temporarily closed its Sanford office after an employee there tested positive.
The office was closed to the public and employees but will reopen on Monday, according to a news release. DHHS learned of the test result late Thursday and notified employees in the office, at 890 Main St. The closure allows time for close contacts to be notified and for appropriate cleaning and sanitizing, DHHS said.
On Thursday, 180 new cases of COVID-19 in Maine were confirmed. To date, there have been 73,454 cases, including 922 deaths, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
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