So I understandthatyouhadtoextendyourquarantineafteryoulearnedof a secondinteraction.
Howareyoufeelingrightnow?
I'm feelingterrific.
I I havenosymptoms.
I'm ingoodhealth, but I'm tryingtothesametime.
TobecautiousandprudentonthequarantinecameaboutfromtwoseparateinteractionstwoweeksagothattheCPACuh, gathering I interacted.
I visitedwithandshookhandswiththepersonwhosubsequentlytestedpositiveforCoronavirus.
I wasinformedofthatninedayslaterwhen I foundoutaboutthat, I spokewiththeCDC.
I spokewiththeHHS.
I spokewiththehealthdepartmentabovethecityofHoustonandHarrisCounty, where I reside.
I spokewithmyowndoctorbasedontheiradvice, theyconcludedthat I didnotmeettheCDCcriteriaforselfquarantinebecausetheencounterhadbeenbriefedandithadbeenninedayswithoutsymptoms.
Nevertheless, I decidedinanabundanceofcautiontoimposemyownselfquarantine.
Andso I spentportedtheremainderofthe 14 daysdayperiodinmyhomeawayfromotherpeople.
Thatselfquarantineendedyesterday.
So I washappilylookingforwardThiotonight, takingmyfamilyouttodinnerandandendingthequarantine.
Andthen, unfortunately, I foundoutlastnightthat a secondperson I hadencountered a Spanishgovernmentofficialwhohadcometomeetmeinmyinmyofficein D.
C.
HadtestedpositiveforCoronaviruslastnight.
Andso, as a resultofthat, I decidedtoextendtheselfquarantinefor 14 daysfromthatinteractionthatwillexpireonMarch 17.
So I amonceagainsaidit's sittingandsittinginmyhomeandbutbutworkingfromhomeinanengaginginthegovernmentresponsetothisthisgrowingpublichealthcrisisandhaveyoubeentestedyet?
Senator, youknow I havenotandThereasoniseachoftheeachofthepositionsthat I'veconsultedwithadvisedmethatsince I havenosymptomssince I'm notsick, theysaidtestingwasmedicallyineffectivethatthatyouhavetohave a sufficientviralloadforthetesttowwork.
BecauseifGodforbid, wesee a dramaticincreaseinthenumberofpeoplesufferingfromthispublicouthealthoutbreak, weneedtomakesurethatwehavesufficientmedicalequipmenttocareforthem.
Andthenfinally, thefourthpieceofthepublichealthresponsethat I thinkisvery, veryimportantisdoingeverystepnecessarytodevelop a vaccineandtodevelop a treatmentprotocolsandhopefully a cure.
Andso I haveandfilinglegislationtospeeduptheFDAapprovalprocess, andinparticulartopasslegislationthatcalltheResultsAct.
ThatsaysthatanypharmaceuticaldeviceormedicaldeviceapprovedinanothermajordevelopedcountrylikeCanadalikeEurope, thattheFDAhas 30 daystoapproveithereifitisdirectedtowardstheCoronavirussothatwecangetthemedicaltoolsweneed T defeatthisepidemic.
Andonthatnoteaboutlegislation, Senator, we'rehearingthatNancyPelosisaysshehas a dealonthecurrentlegislationbeforetheHouse.
Doyouplantovoteforthislegislationonceitclears?
Youknow, I'veseenthatheadline.
Obviously, I wanttoseethespecificsofthedeal.
I don't knowwhatwhatSpeakerPelosihasagreedto.
I willlookatitverycarefullyandwithgreatinterest.
I thinkCongressneedstoact.
IIvotedinfavorofthe $8.3 billionemergencyappropriationthatwepassed a littlebitover a weekago.
I thinkthatwastherightsteptotake.
I hopethey'regoodelementsininthisdeal.
Butuntil I seethespecifics, I wanttoassessitonthemarriage.
Now, thatbeingsaidinanypublichealthcrisis, itis a complicatedanddifficultchallengetoundertake.
Andsoit's it's easytocriticizetheprocess.
What I'm focusedoninsteadofhowcanwebemoreeffective?
Howcanweensurethatwegetthetest, wherewheretheyneedtogoandanddon't usethissimplyas a politicalfootballforonesideortheothertoadvancetheirpartisanobjectives?
Andoneofthekeysthatwe'veseenisisprivatelabs, labsthathaveanenormouscapability, academiclabsthathavethecapacitytodeveloptestkitsbeingengaged, and I think I thinkthebureaucracywas a littlebitslowinbringingtheprivatesectorintoitandempoweringthemandgettingtheredtapeoutoftheway.
Doyouthinkitwas a solution?
Now?
I hopeso.
I thinkwe'removingintherightdirection.
Butlisten, thisis a majorpublichealththreat.
Andsoalmostanythingweneed, we'redoing.
Weneedtodoomorbecauseweneeded.
Thisis a globalpandemicthatthathastakenlivesallacrosstheglobeandstoppingitmeansoneofthekeystostoppingitislimitingitsspread.
Andthatmeansthatthatmeanssocialdistancing.
It's It's oneofthereasonswhy I decidedmyselftoselfquarantine, thatthedoctorsadvisedmebasedonthecontact I had, thatthelikelihoodofcontractionoftheviruswasquitelow.
But I thoughtitwastherightthingtodo, tominimizemycontactwithotherssothatitsothatif I hadcontractedthevirus, I wouldnotbeatriskofpassingitontoanyoneelse.
Well, Senator, weappreciateyousetting a goodexampleforyourcitizens, andweappreciateyoutakingthetimetotalktous.
Wehopeyoucontinuetofeelwellthroughoutthis.
Thankyou, Diane.
I appreciateit.
Andwe'regoingtogetthroughthis.
Andas a country, well, we'veenduredenormouschallengesbeforeandwillovercomethisoneaswell.