Rep. Watson Coleman tests positive for virus following Capitol riots

Coleman was among the first round of individuals to receive the Pfizer vaccine

Jan 11, 2021

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman believes she contracted COVID-19 due to being forced into lockdown during last week’s Capitol riots.

According to Politico, all House members and their staff were instructed to get tested over the weekend due to potential exposure from maskless rioters. Unfortunately, the New Jersey Representative’s test results came back positive.

Ryan Grim, DC bureau chief at The Intercept, tweeted out a message in regards to Coleman’s diagnosis, saying, “Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman has tested positive for COVID-19 and suspects she was infected by maskless members of Congress while in lockdown.”

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman has tested positive for COVID-19, and suspects she was infected by maskless members of Congress while in lockdown. pic.twitter.com/os9RghDS9w
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) January 11, 2021

Coleman, 75, is also a cancer survivor who says she is resting comfortably with “mild cold-like symptoms.” She was among the first round of individuals to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

Reps. Ellison, Grijalva Join 1 Million In Demanding Congress Renew Assault Weapons Ban At DC Petition Delivery — WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 12: Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman joins members of MoveOn.org and members of Congress at an event to demand congress renew an assault weapons ban, along with delivering more than one million signed petitions, at United States Capitol Building on July 12, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for MoveOn.org)

Coleman has only received the first dose of the two-dose Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine thus far. According to experts, you are not immediately immune to COVID-19 after the first dose. Patients will receive the full benefit of the drug after the second dosage, which is usually given weeks later.

Some social media users are blaming Coleman’s positive results on Republicans who were on lockdown and refused to wear masks.

“Those Republicans who refused to wear a mask should be tried for voluntary manslaughter if anything ever happens to her,” wrote one user. “They knew we’re in a pandemic and they knew the dangers of not wearing a mask in close proximity.”

https://twitter.com/MikeLovesTacos/status/1348698562037747714?s=20

Another user added, “The lady was handing out masks while under siege. There was a photo of her offering them to several Retrumplicans, but they re- buffed the offer & refused to wear one.”

https://twitter.com/mj_ruleoflaw/status/1348719324857573378?s=20

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!