Sen. Mike Lee to self-quarantine after Rand Paul tests positive for coronavirus

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) announced Sunday that he would self-quarantine for two weeks after his colleague, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), announced earlier in the day that he had tested positive for coronavirus.

In a statement from Lee’s office, the senator said that he had no symptoms but would self-quarantine out of an abundance of caution after coming in to contact with Paul in recent days on Capitol Hill.

“Upon learning that my colleague Sen. Paul tested positive for COVID-19, I consulted the Attending Physician of the U.S. Congress Dr. Harding. He advised me that because I have no symptoms or other risk factors, a COVID-19 test was not warranted,” Lee said. “However, given the timing, proximity, and duration of my exposure to Sen. Paul, he directed me to self-quarantine for 14 days.”

“That means no traveling or voting,” Lee continued. “But I will continue to make sure Utah’s voice is heard as we shape the federal response to the Coronavirus through phone, text, email and whatever other means are available.”

The senator is the first to announce that he would self-quarantine due to contact with Paul, who is the first member of the U.S. Senate to test positive for the virus. More than 30,000 Americans have tested positive for the virus, and hundreds have died in recent weeks.

Two U.S. House members have also tested positive for the virus: Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Ben McAdams (D-Utah).