Montana gubernatorial candidate Rep. Greg Gianforte (R) is self-quarantining after both his wife and running mate were exposed to President Donald Trump’s campaign official Kimberly Guilfoyle, who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr.’s girlfriend, whose virus status was reported Friday, appeared to take no social distancing precautions and did not wear a face mask during a recent campaign appearance.
Susan Gianforte and Kristen Juras, who is running for lieutenant governor in Montana, attended an event with Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. last week.
“Out of an abundance of caution and for the health and safety of others, they will self-quarantine, be tested for COVID-19, and suspend in-person campaign events pending test results,” said a spokesperson for Greg Gianforte.
A Facebook post featured a photo of Susan Gianforte, Juras, Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. None wore a mask or maintained six feet of social distance, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help stem the spread of COVID-19.
Guilfoyle had been scheduled to attend the president’s event at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota Friday, but did not make an appearance.
The previous day Guilfoyle was filmed at a campaign stop in South Dakota speaking to a group of people without a mask and in close proximity to others, including her boyfriend, who also wasn’t wearing a mask.
The president’s son on Tuesday ridiculed the use of a bandana to protect against COVID-19 transmission.
In a study published in the journal Physics of Fluids on Tuesday, researchers at Florida Atlantic University found that bandanas helped protect against COVID-19 transmission by reducing the average distance that coughs traveled from 8 feet to 3.6 feet. Commercial cone masks reduced the distance to 8 inches, and a stitched, two-layer mask to 2.5 inches.
A number of people close to the president have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent months. Trump’s personal valet and Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary both tested positive for the virus in May.
Last month, several staffers who worked on Trump’s Tulsa, Oklahoma, rally and Secret Service officers also tested positive for the virus.
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