Did Rudy Giuliani spread COVID-19 as well as conspiracy theories in Arizona?
It’s unclear whether Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani spread COVID-19 at the same time he was in Arizona spreading baseless conspiracy theories about the November election.
What isn’t unclear, however, is that Giuliani and the Republican lawmakers who welcomed him and hung around with him didn’t seem to care if they might spread the virus, ignoring the precautions of wearing masks, keeping their distance or avoiding large groups.
Now, wisely, the Arizona Legislature will close for a week “out of an abundance of caution.”
Trump’s team says it isn’t necessary. That Giuliani didn’t test positive until a few days after he’d left Arizona. However, they know well, or should, that negative test results can occur early in the virus’ incubation period, ranging from 3-14 days.
There are mask requirements for state buildings. But according to lawmakers and reporters, most of the Republicans attending a new lawmaker orientation session didn’t follow the rules.
Birx condems ‘parroting’ falsehoods
A reckless disregard for safety measures is the norm for Trump acolytes.
But it has come even to irritate Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House’s coronavirus task force.
She said Sunday, “I hear community members parroting back those situations, parroting back that masks don’t work, parroting back that we should work towards herd immunity, parroting back that gatherings don’t result in super-spreading events.”
Arizona reported 5,376 new coronavirus cases Sunday, and 25 additional deaths. That raises the state’s totals to 364,276 COVID-19 infections and 6,950 fatalities. It’s also the fifth day within a week with more than 5,000 new cases.
Just a little prudence and common sense could prevent some needless suffering as we head into the months when a vaccine will become available.
Flaunting their disdain
Giuliani also met both publicly and privately with Republican lawmakers. Also hanging around were U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs.
The Republicans who welcomed Giuliani happily posed for photos flaunting their disdain for safety measures and for the men and women on the front lines of the health care system to must deal with the result of such behavior.
Just last week we read the heartbreaking story of how 17-year-old Chandler High School student Brisa Vasquez lost both of her parents, Tony and Lisa, to COVID-19.
Multiply that heartache, that suffering, by the nearly 7,000 other Arizona families who have lost loved ones. And then by the rest of the 282,000 American families who have lost loved ones.
Yet, Trump and his enablers in Washington and around the country, including here, seem to care more about spreading baseless conspiracy theories than about potentially spreading real, deadly coronavirus.
Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.
*** This article has been archived for your research. The original version from The Arizona Republic can be found here ***
