Rick Scott self-quarantines after Bolsonaro aide tests positive for coronavirus
Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott announced Thursday he will self-quarantine after having possible contact with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s press secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, during a meeting in Florida this week..
Wajngarten also posed for a photo with President Donald Trump during his visit to Florida.
“My office was alerted today by the Brazilian Embassy that a member of President Bolsonaro’s delegation tested positive for coronavirus,” Scott said in a statement. “On Monday, I met with the president in Miami, and while I do not believe I interacted with the infected person, that individual was in the same room as me. The embassy said the person had no symptoms leading up to or the day of the conference.”
Scott said he is showing no symptoms of the novel coronavirus.
“After consulting with the Senate’s attending physician and my personal doctor, I have been told that my risk is low, and I don’t need to take a test or quarantine,” Scott said. “However, the health and safety of the American people is my focus and I have made the decision to self-quarantine in an abundance of caution. I am feeling healthy and not experiencing any symptoms at this time. I will still be working on my plan to combat coronavirus and protect American families, and my offices in D.C. and throughout the state will still be fully operational to help Floridians.”
Scott canceled a Thursday press conference where he was supposed to outline his plan to deal with the coronavirus.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who also met with Bolsonaro in Florida this week, said he will not need to self-quarantine because he did not attend the private reception in Miami where Wajngarten was present.
“After a review of this matter, the Office of Attending Physician has advised that there is no medical or public health reason for him to self-quarantine or be tested at this time,” Rubio spokesperson Nick Iacovella said in a statement. “Senator Rubio will continue to monitor this situation for any new developments. Additionally, he will continue to take actions in accordance with professional medical advice and the expert guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
Rubio did not appear at a Thursday afternoon Senate vote following Scott’s self-quarantine announcement. He did lead a Senate Small Business Committee hearing on Thursday morning.
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago while Bolsonaro was there, will self-quarantine “out of an abundance of caution,” his office said.
“Senator Graham was at Mar-a-Lago last weekend,” Graham’s office said in a statement. “He has no recollection of direct contact with the president of Brazil, who is awaiting results of a coronavirus test, or his spokesman.”
Members of Congress must vote in person, which means any of them who self-quarantine will be prevented from voting on legislation.
The White House downplayed any contact between Trump and Wajngarten, who posed for a picture with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence during his visit. Health experts say person-to-person transmission is more likely when two people are within six feet of each other, as Trump, Wajngarten and Pence were when they posed for the photo.
“The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation‘s visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19; confirmatory testing is pending,” White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement. “Exposures from the case are being assessed, which will dictate next steps. Both the president and vice president had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time.”
McClatchy DC reporters Emma Dumain and Francesca Chambers contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 1:28 PM.