Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA), who once expressed skepticism about the mask mandate in Orange County last spring, has tested positive for COVID-19.
Although she does not show any symptoms, the 65-year-old Korean American politician learned she had been in contact with someone positive with the virus, Steel’s statement said via Associated Press.
“At the advice of the Attending Physician, and to protect the health of my colleagues, I will be quarantining,” Steel said via Los Angeles Times.
Danielle Stewart, Steel’s deputy chief of staff and communications director, did not give many details about the representative’s positive result, but she said they had gone through the proper procedures.
“We’ve done the appropriate contact tracing. There’s a lot going on at the Capitol at the moment,” Stewart said.
In May, Steel questioned the effectiveness of mask-wearing during a public county supervisors meeting and “pushed back hard against” statements from health care officials, according to Voice of OC.
Two months later in July, after the number of COVID-19 cases resurged, she switched her stance and tweeted about needing to wear a mask to save lives and flatten the curve.
Steel is one of the first three Korean American women elected to Congress. She was joined by fellow Republican party member Young Kim and Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.).
Featured Image Screenshots via FOX 11 Los Angeles
