Officials in charge of the Conservative Political Action Conference said Monday that there have been no new cases of the coronavirus experienced by any of the speakers and guests who came into contact with a high-level supporter during the recent gathering.
Ian Walters, communications director for CPAC and the American Conservative Union, said that the organization has been “on the job” to chart any changes in those who did meet the infected person and the 10,000 who attended.
He said that only a dozen people met with the person diagnosed with the virus.
ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp, who also heads CPAC, said previously that he did meet with the person but that he, his family, and everybody he later came in contact with have not shown signs of the virus.
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Schlapp tweeted, “Woke up today and all the Schlapp’s are healthy. Same for entire @CPAC staff. My 80 year old Mom feels great. The State of Maryland did 2000 screenings around the Gaylord and found nothing concerning. We have no symptoms. Stay calm USA! Check your temp, if elevated call your doc.” He added, “We still have just one person who came to @CPAC w/ Corona. He is being treated. NO NEW CASES. Department of Health has not called for any restrictions or quarantines. The key is symptoms. If you don’t have any that’s great news. If concerned, check your temp.”
He and Walters said they have been staying home out of an abundance of caution. They and other ACU members did not attend church yesterday, said Walters, and staff is working from home today.
“We’re taking every precaution we can,” Schlapp said on Fox Business.
At least two lawmakers, Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Republican Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, are also working from home.
Like many of those around the nation who have been infected, ACU is not identifying who the conferencegoer with the coronavirus is. Walters said that the person, now being treated in a New Jersey hospital, had gold ticket-level status that included access behind the stage.
Walters estimated that the man had contacted a dozen others but did not go into the ballroom where attendees sat, the media row, or other highly populated spaces at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, the hotel and convention center in Maryland just outside of Washington that hosts CPAC.
He said that ACU and the infected person have come up with a list of those he likely had contact with and that everybody on the list has been contacted.
What’s more, the organization has been keeping in touch with local health officials and dispatching email updates to attendees.
“We are being completely transparent,” said Walters.
