SALT LAKE CITY — Senate President J. Stuart Adams tested positive and negative for COVID-19 twice as the Utah State Legislature got under way.
But his most recent test is negative, the Utah State Senate said late Tuesday. Sen. Adams, R-Layton, began exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 on Wednesday night and tested positive. He isolated for the next five days, following CDC guidance. He tested negative for COVID-19 on Monday night, the Senate said.
On Tuesday, he was tested before the legislative session began and tested positive. Another test was administered and had a "faint" positive line on it.
"President Adams has followed the CDC guidelines, and his symptoms have subsided, including not having a fever since Saturday," Senate Deputy Chief of Staff Aundrea Peterson said in a statement.
"CDC guidelines state that individuals who test positive should isolate for five days and may resume work if fever free for 24 hours. President Adams took COVID-19 tests and had mixed results, which may have caused confusion. It’s not uncommon to test positive days after contracting COVID-19, and according to the CDC, a positive test after recently recovering from COVID-19 does not mean the individual is contagious."
On Tuesday, Sen. Adams presided over the Senate unmasked on the dais, including a debate to repeal Salt Lake and Summit counties' mask mandates. When he met with reporters, he was masked.
"I feel great today," he told reporters.
Late Tuesday, he was given a fourth test that came back negative.
The Senate President isn't the only one with health issues. Senate Minority Leader Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City, was hospitalized after falling last week and breaking her shoulder. She also hit her head. Senate Democrats said she underwent surgery and is expected to recover.
"On Friday, she underwent successful surgery and is now in rehab and completing physical therapy. We are pleased that Sen. Mayne has improved, and everything is looking promising. She is in great hands and is looking forward to going home at the end of this week," Senate Minority Whip Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, said in a statement. "Sen. Mayne sends her love to each of you and wishes she could be with all of us. We will be in contact with her continually. And in Sen. Mayne's style, she would tell us all if she were here, 'vote for my bills, because as you know, I only sponsor good bills!'"
