Nancy Pelosi tests negative for COVID-19, to leave isolation

US Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tested positive following her attendance at an event in Washington last week. This week, Pelosi announced that she had tested negative and will be leaving isolation the next day.

Pelosi announced her negative COVID-19 test Monday, and that she will get out of isolation Tuesday. The Capitol’s attending physician had directed Pelosi to leave isolation also in keeping with the guidelines implemented by the CDC for asymptomatic cases.

“Today, I happily tested negative for COVID. Tomorrow I will be exiting isolation at the direction of the Capitol’s Attending Physician and consistent with CDC guidelines for asymptomatic individuals. Many thanks to everyone for their good wishes, chocolates, and chicken soup,” tweeted Pelosi.

Thursday last week, Pelosi’s spokesperson revealed that the top House Democrat tested positive for COVID-19. The announcement was made shortly before Pelosi was to begin her weekly press conference at the Capitol.

Pelosi was among the prominent lawmakers and figures who tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days, along with DOJ Attorney General Merrick Garland, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, and Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff.

CDC guidelines say that individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 but are asymptomatic can end their isolation period after five full days. They are then instructed to take precautions until 10 days after their positive test. This includes wearing face masks, refraining from traveling, and avoiding in-person contact with people who are high-risk.

Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego criticized a fundraising group linked to Pelosi, for backing a white male candidate over the Latina candidate for Oregon’s Democratic primary race for its 6th district.

This comes as the House Majority PAC rolled out a $1 million campaign blitz for Democratic candidate Carrick Flynn, a move that was seen as unusual for a national Democratic fundraiser that is linked to the top House Democrat, to weigh in heavily during a primary.

Gallego, who also chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’s fundraising arm Bold PAC, said that the House Majority PAC did not double down on investments that would empower Latino or Latina Democratic candidates like state congresswoman Andrea Salinas. Gallego pointed out that 20 percent of people residing in the newly created district are Hispanic and that Oregon has never had a Hispanic member of Congress.