Ciresi appalled at lack of transparency and disclosure of COVID-positive House member

ROYERSFORD, May 28 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, learned for the first time Wednesday that a sitting member of the Pennsylvania House had tested positive for COVID-19.

Between May 20, when the representative received the test result, and Wednesday afternoon, members of the General Assembly, and all staff, faculty, security, and other personnel went about their business without the knowledge that a House member had tested positive for this deadly virus.

"I am thankful that our colleague has made a full recovery, but I am appalled over this situation. The entire General Assembly should have been made aware of the positive case immediately,” Ciresi said. “Not only was the non-disclosure selfish, it caused unnecessary risk and violated the trust of fellow members." 

Ciresi serves on the State Government Committee. Another member of that committee, who never tested positive, is emerging from quarantine today. According to his social media accounts, Human Resources advised the member to quarantine due to his risk of the positive case through contact tracing. Centers for Disease and Control guidance was followed from that point forward.

“My colleague on the State Government Committee did not reveal this information either, which is equally appalling,” Ciresi said. “While the COVID-19 positive lawmaker emerging from quarantine today was last in the Capitol on May 14, the situation could have been handled much better. We need to remember the bigger picture here. This is not about partisan positioning, big government or small government. We have a moral obligation to avoid spreading the virus. Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath, ‘Do no harm.’ My colleagues need to remember that and avoid placing each other and more importantly our loved ones and families in harm’s way.”

For more information, contact Ciresi’s office at (484) 200-8265.

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