CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Leading Democrats from the state House of Delegates and state Senate issued renewed calls for enforcement of mask mandates at the State Capitol following this weekend’s COVID-19 diagnosis for Delegate Brandon Steele (R-Raleigh).
“There are a lot of people in this Capitol that have yet to be vaccinated and we need to take this thing seriously,” said state House Minority Leader Doug Skaff (D-Kanawha).
“When one of our members is affected, it affects all of us and who knows what the outcome’s going to be.”
Delegate Steele, the chair of the House Government Organization Committee, said he was confirmed as COVID positive on Saturday after feeling tired and experiencing symptoms on Friday that he attributed to allergies.
He also said he had pneumonia in one lung and was recuperating at home when he talked with MetroNews on Sunday.
It was the second time he’d had COVID.
On Monday, Skaff and other Democratic lawmakers said they wished Steele a speedy recovery, but said, at the same time, they were worried about others who had potentially been exposed.
“Delegate Steele stood up on Friday (on the House Floor) and spoke, very lengthy, without his mask on and I just pray and care about all the people that were around him,” Skaff said.
“There were staff around him. There were per diem employees around him. There were other delegates around him.”
Skaff said 86 of 100 House members opted to get vaccinated earlier this year.
Senate Minority Leader Stephen Baldwin (D-Greenbrier) said between 25 and 26 state senators out of 34 total had done the same.
Many legislative staff members were still either waiting for vaccines or had only received the first of two required doses for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
For the session’s past five weeks, COVID protocols have in place at the State Capitol.
A reminder was recently issued.
“There was a letter that went from Speaker (Roger) Hanshaw (R-Clay) and President (Craig) Blair (R-Berkeley) last week about this very topic. It was very clear — if you’re a legislator and you are not wearing a mask, then you are subject to the sergeant at arms removing you from the building,” Baldwin said.
Floor participation from galleries was also an option.
“What we’re saying is that it’s time to enforce that.”
Contact tracing was underway on Monday morning and plans were in the works for on-site COVID-19 testing at the State Capitol through this week.
As a precaution, Baldwin said all Democrats in the state Senate and state House would be getting tested even if they had no direct contact with Delegate Steele in recent days.
Senator Ron Stollings (D-Boone), a doctor, said the results of that testing would determine what steps would be necessary for the continuation of the session. He said a delay could be necessary.
Stollings said the House COVID case should serve as a warning.
“We’re West Virginians, folks. We don’t want to lose another West Virginian. We don’t want a third spike. Everybody’s got COVID fatigue. Everyone does. You’ve just got to hang in there,” said Sen. Stollings.
Baldwin and Skaff called for similar cooperation with mask wearing and other COVID protocols.
“Treat us (lawmakers) no differently than the rest of West Virginia,” Skaff said. “We are all in this together — Democrats, Republicans — it doesn’t matter. We need to be respectful, respectful of each other.”