Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, insisted Wednesday that the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) community is healthy and that it is "very, very difficult" to contract coronavirus after several Republican lawmakers opted to self-quarantine after coming into contact with an attendee who tested positive for the disease.
"One thing we've learned is even when there is an infected person amongst thousands and thousands, in our case, over 10,000 people, it is very, very difficult to contract this virus," Schlapp told Fox News' "America's Newsroom."
He also said nobody in his family has any health problems and he has not shown any symptoms of the virus.
Schlapp earlier this week said he's practicing "separation" by avoiding events and staying home.
GOP Reps. Doug Collins, Georgia; Matt Gaetz, Florida; Mark Meadows, North Carolina; Paul Gosar, Arizona; and Sen. Ted Cruz have all opted to self-quarantine after coming into contact with the unnamed CPAC attendee. Meadows, who is President Donald Trump's incoming chief of staff, and several others have come into contact with Trump. Gaetz also rode on Air Force One with the president.
Schlapp said Trump was not in direct contact with the infected CPAC attendee.
CPAC contacted the lawmakers directly to inform them they had been in contact with the infected person, but Schlapp said that person's name has not been publicly released.
"We're going to follow the lead of the public health officials," said Schlapp. If they decide its in the interest of public health to release a name, we'll be happy to verify it."
He also denied "false stories" that CPAC officials were only notifying "VIPs," as several people who don't have prominent names were also contacted.
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