COVID-19 cases spike among first responders following Capitol riot

January 24, 2021 | 4:00pm | Updated January 24, 2021 | 5:06pm

Police gather during the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th US President

James Keivom

National Guard troops that were deployed to Washington, DC amid heightened security measures that have been implemented to safeguard the inauguration of Joe Biden

James Keivom

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Nearly 200 law enforcement and military members who responded to the deadly Jan. 6 uprising at the Capitol have since tested positive for COVID-19, according to CBS News.

About 150 National Guard members and 38 Capitol Police officers have contracted the virus after being in close proximity with unmasked rioters who breached the government building, the network reported.

The chairman of the union that represents the cops told the outlet that cases have “spiked” since the siege.

At least three members of Congress — Reps. Brad Schneider, Pramila Jayapal and Bonnie Watson Coleman — also tested positive after the attack, after lawmakers were forced to shelter together in a secure location on Capitol Hill.

Jayapal blamed her illness on some colleagues who did not wear masks while hunkering down with their colleagues to avoid attack.

“Only hours after President Trump incited a deadly assault on our Capitol, our country, and our democracy, many Republicans still refused to take the bare minimum COVID-19 precaution and simply wear a damn mask in a crowded room during a pandemic — creating a superspreader event on top of a domestic terrorist attack,” the Washington Democrat said on Jan. 12.

25,000 National Guard members poured into Washington to shore up the Capitol for President Biden’s inauguration, many of them forced to sleep in close quarters on the floor of the building.

Meanwhile, more than 120 suspects have been arrested by federal authorities for participating in the violent siege. The FBI promises to make hundreds of additional arrests.

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Source: https://nypost.com/2021/01/24/covid-cases-spike-among-first-responders-after-capitol-riot/