Senate officials are calling on the media to avoid crowding around lawmakers to conduct interviews in order to protect everyone from the spread of the coronavirus.
“No new restrictions have been put in place regarding interviews and reporting in the halls of the House or Senate,” the chairs of the daily and periodical press galleries wrote to credentialed media on Monday. “However, leadership has expressed concerns about the nature of ‘walk-and-talks’ and large scrums with lawmakers, because of the close quarters involved that can allow easier spread of serious illnesses.”
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In some instances, reporters crowd around senators from whom they are seeking critical information, creating large, moving scrums in the Capitol.
The gallery chairs called on news organizations to “review their coverage plans for Capitol Hill,” adding, “Any working press in the Capitol or congressional office buildings need to be mindful of how close they are to lawmakers and staff (and each other) while conducting interviews.”
The memo to the media said some lawmakers may not want reporters close to them out of concern for their own health.
The virus is particularly deadly for individuals over the age of 60. Some Senate lawmakers are in their 70s and 80s, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is 78.
