Two members of the Florida Senate, and Seven House members missed the legislature’s organizational session Tuesday after testing positive for, or being exposed to, COVID-19.
Rep. Geraldine Thompson (D-Windermere) is one of them. She believes she picked up the virus while campaigning.
“In my case, I had run for re-election. I’d had a tough campaign. And I had in the course of the campaign been out circulating with people," said Thompson. "For example, the last weekend before elections I went to every early voting site in my district.”
Thompson knew she was sick and stayed home, but some members of the legislature were not aware they had contracted the virus until they arrived in Tallahassee and tested positive for COVID-19.
The Senate required all members to get testing before Tuesday’s session. Testing for House members was voluntary.
