The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Party’s coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.
Romney went into self-quarantine after Paul, who announced Sunday that he tested positive for the CCP virus, his office said in a statement.
Paul is currently in self-quarantine and “is feeling fine,” his office statement wrote.
![Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) leaves a brief news conference during the Senate impeachment trial on January 30, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F02%2F05%2FGettyImages-1197623822.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
Romney told reporters that he had lunch with Paul and few others on last week where he sat next to the Kentucky senator, according to a statement released by his office.
“Since Senator Romney sat next to Senator Paul for extended periods in recent days and consistent with [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidance, the attending physician has ordered him to immediately self-quarantine and not to vote on the Senate floor. He has no symptoms but will be tested.”
The self-quarantining announcement came less than an hour after the Senate was set to hold a procedural vote on a $1.8 trillion economic stimulus package to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
His office added that Romney “urges members to pass a relief package as quickly as possible that provides assistance for families, workers, and small businesses.”
Earlier in the day, Romney told reporters: “senators are going to seek medical advice as to what actions we should take to make sure that we don’t in any way spread this virus ourselves.”