Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), who is fully vaccinated, announced this week that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
The story: Norman announced his test results on Thursday in a statement on Twitter.
The South Carolina lawmaker said he was experiencing mild symptoms and will quarantine for at least 10 days. Normal said he will continue to work remotely.
“After experiencing minor symptoms this morning, I sought a COVID-19 test and was just informed the test results were positive. Thankfully, I have been fully vaccinated and my symptoms remain mild. To every extent possible, I will continue my work virtually while in quarantine for the next ten (10) days,” Norman wrote.
Why it matters? Norman’s positive test is the second among South Carolina lawmakers and the third among members of Congress who have been fully vaccinated.
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) announced on July 19 that he also tested positive for COVID-19 and then on Monday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) also said he tested positive.
Graham similarly said that he has mild symptoms and highlighted the importance of the vaccines.
Health authorities say that they expert such “breakthrough” cases but that they are extremely rare. They also say that the vaccines primarily prevent severe illness and hospitalization.
Norman was fined Norman $500 in May for not wearing a mask on the House floor. He and other GOP representatives who similarly received a fine challenged the punishment, arguing that it’s not in line with guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency at the time said fully vaccinated people do not have to wear face coverings indoors and an aide for Normal said he was vaccinated, according to NBC News.
The House Ethics Committee, however, said the lawmakers’ appeals have failed because the mask mandate in the House was still in effect at the time when they ditched their masks.
The House later lifted the face mask requirement but reintroduced it recently amid a rise of the delta variant.
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