Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is in quarantine after recent exposure to a person who tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced Monday afternoon.
“Following exposure to a COVID-19 positive individual while touring storm damage in Newnan on Saturday, the governor is following CDC/DPH protocol and quarantining,” Kemp’s communications director Cody Hall said in a statement posted on Twitter.
“Our office was notified of the individual testing positive today. The governor tested negative this morning on a rapid-response antigen test and has spoken to Dr. Toomey,” he added, likely referring to Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) commissioner Kathleen Toomey.
#gapol pic.twitter.com/mTa6743x64
— Cody Hall (@CodyHallGA) March 29, 2021
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 14 days of isolation after being exposed to a person who tested positive for COVID-19. The agency notes instances of exposure can include direct physical contact and being within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes.
The governor on Saturday toured the city of Newnan, Georgia, after a tornado devastated much of the area Friday morning, CBS 46 reported. The individual who he came into contact with during his visit has not been identified.
Kemp received the Johnson & Johnson single-dose COVID-19 vaccine Friday during a visit to the city of Waycross, according to a social media post. The visit was reportedly part of the state’s efforts to encourage more people to get vaccinated, his office said in a press release.
Kemp and the Georgia DPH announced March 24 that vaccines would be available to all Georgia residents over the age of 16. (RELATED: Biden Says US Now On Track To Have Vaccines For Every Adult By End Of May)
The move comes after the governor signed an executive order lifting certain COVID-19 restrictions, including capacity limits for bars and nightclubs in the state.