No one is safe from COVID-19, especially when your peers continue to act reckless. This is in the case of Rep. Raul M. Grijalva, who announced on Twitter he tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 1.

“As a result, I will be self-isolating in quarantine. I currently have no symptoms, feel fine, and hope to make a quick & speedy recovery. COVID-19 is no joke & we should all take this seriously,” he said.

“While I cannot blame anyone directly for this, this week has shown that there are some Members of Congress who fail to take this crisis seriously,” Grijalva wrote. “Numerous Republican members routinely strut around the Capitol without a mask to selfishly make a political statement at the expense of their colleagues, staff and their families.

Grijalva then expressed his pleasure at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s mask mandate at the Capitol, in an effort to keep members and staff safe.

From who? Those seeking to score “quick political points,” Grijalva says. 

For months, the mask debate has been deeply politicized. Somehow along the way, it became a partisan issue, where mask-wearers are on the left and anti-maskers are on the right — some even going as far as to call themselves the “unmasked community.”

The rhetoric stems largely-in part by President Donald Trump, who wasn’t seen with a mask on until June 11. His influence has been seen mirrored by other GOP politicians throughout Congress.

The unsafe behavior mirrored by highly-visible positions of power contributes to the normalization of not wearing a mask, which peers at work then exemplify, people walking on the streets, people in stores, etc.

Rep. Grijalva has been actively wearing a mask, and advocating wearing a mask for weeks. It is the irresponsibility and recklessness of others that contributes to the persisting spread. 

“I urge all of us to recognize the severity of this virus and follow the CDC guidance to keep our family, friends, and loved ones safe. We can all play a part of stopping the spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” he said.