No positive coronavirus cases at California Capitol. It’s business as usual for now

Democratic leaders in California’s Capitol said there are no known positive coronavirus cases among staff and they have not canceled tours, public hearings or other events.

On Thursday, just hours after Gov. Gavin Newsom urged Californians to postpone or cancel large public events, the Capitol was operating with a full schedule of committee hearings.

Newsom at a press conference Thursday said he was working with legislative leaders on a plan for the Capitol building, and one could be announced on Friday.

Katie Talbot, spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, said leaders in the Capitol would inform lawmakers and staff if someone contracts the new coronavirus.

“We would not consider the existence of a confirmed case of COVID-19 among the staff to be confidential,” Talbot said, “and would take steps to ensure the safety of other staff, legislators, members of the public and the press. We would, of course, treat any individual’s health information with the confidentiality it deserves, and the law mandates.”

But so far, “we are not aware of anyone in the Assembly or its staff that have tested positive for COVID-19,” she said.

Neither the Senate nor the Assembly would say whether anyone working in either house has been tested.

The novel coronavirus, dubbed COVID-19, includes mild to severe symptoms generally marked by a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older individuals and those with health conditions like heart and lung disease and diabetes are at higher risk of contracting the illness.

The California Department of Public Health has recorded 198 cases of and four deaths due to COVID-19 as of Thursday, though testing has been limited. Another 11,100 people who have returned from the United States from traveling are “self-monitoring.”

Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, said during Thursday morning’s floor session that her staff is evaluating the current risk and would work to accommodate individual situations.

Atkins said that “remote legislating is not an option at this time” but acknowledged the situation remains “very fluid” and requested members not to “spread rumors.”

“We will be taking the next few days to do a hard evaluation of how to proceed within the new public health parameters,” she said.

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 12:10 PM.