The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Hayes: ‘I don’t feel better than I did 20 years ago’
U.S. Rep. slowly recovering from the effects of COVID
WASHINGTON — Two weeks after U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5, was diagnosed with coronavirus, she has mostly recovered but she gets winded after multiple phone calls or interviews, she said.
From one COVID-19 patient to another, she blasted President Donald Trump’s tweet Monday urging Americans not to fear the virus as “very confusing.”
“I can tell you that I don’t feel don’t feel better than I did 20 years ago,” she said. “There is a clear lingering effect.”
Hearst Connecticut Media caught up with Hayes on Tuesday to talk about her recovery from COVID-19 and the outbreak at the White House and U.S. Capitol.
Reporter: It’s been two weeks and two days since you tested positive for coronavirus, tell us how you’re feeling now.
Rep. Hayes: I feel good. I’ve been really just trying to pace myself, just much more aware of my activities for the day and making sure I’m mindful of my breathing. But overall I feel really good.
Reporter: Good I’m glad to hear it. On Monday, Trump returned to the White House from Walter Reed Medical Center after being diagnosed with COVID-19. He tweeted “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.” As someone else fighting COVID, what do you say to that?
Hayes: I think it’s a very confusing message. It’s not that people should be afraid but the science is definitely telling us that we don’t know everything about this virus. And I can tell you that I don’t feel better than I did 20 years ago. There is a clear lingering effect. I hope that my lung capacity, that I’ll be able build it back to where it was.
Reporter: On MSNBC Monday,
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, responded directly to your calls for more regular testing of members of Congress and others on Capitol Hill. She said “People who have reason to be tested are given the opportunity to be tested.” She said she was sorry your staff was not aware of that and “we have to do the outreach to make sure that they are.” It sounds like at this moment she does not intend to change the current testing regime and require regular tests for all. Do you think she is wrong to maintain the status quo?
Hayes: Well I don’t think that that is an appropriate characterization because they have changed the testing in some ways. What I said in my original statement is that we are not mass tested because we’re not... My challenge is I wasn’t in DC when I had reason to be tested, but my staffers — we did reach out as soon as we found out that someone tested positive. And I was trying on both sides to connect them with places to get tested and there was no testing on the Hill for staffers. And this was the weekend in D.C. So it was very difficult for them to get a test. I saw recently that the attending physician sent out some guidance and said they are going to make some changes for staffers on the Hill... I’ve seen apparently one of my Republican colleagues sent a similar letter asking for the same things and I’ve seen other members taking to social media as they’re getting tested at home. So there does need to be more clarity around it.
Reporter: So to Pelosi’s point there is access to testing on the Hill for people who are aware of it. To your point, not everyone is getting on a regular basis. Given the current outbreak, do you think members should be tested, say, on a weekly basis?
Hayes: Well I think that based on the schedule I can understand why a change in protocal hasn’t taken place. Our calendar effectively has ended unless we are called back into session. So I don’t know what the plans are moving forward. I would like to see testing for members. I would like to see when we come back, everybody gets tested.
Reporter: Do you think the current outbreak at the White House and among some Republican senators will have any impact on the likelihood that Congress passes another coronavirus relief bill?
Hayes: I hope it does. I mean unfortunately for people, things have to hit home before they begin to realize the impact of the experience but I think what people at the White House and elected officials are experiencing right now are what hundreds of thousands of families have experiences over the last several months. I’ve seen and heard from people who are just very upset at just the cavalier attitude to the president leaving the hospital and what feels like a stunt when families members died alone or they couldn’t visit them in the hospital or people had babies with no one in the room. I had a cousin, 33 years old, who died in May and we couldn’t have a funeral. So unless we’re all operating by the same rules, I think that’s where the American people have this distaste for elected officials. Note: Roughly one hour after this interview, Trump tweeted that he was directing his staff to end negotiations with Democrats on another relief package. He claimed Pelosi was not negotiating “in good faith” and he would attempt to pass a stimulus package after the election. Later Tuesday, he tweeted he would be open to a piecemeal stimulus plan.
Reporter: I know this has virus has impacted you and your family in a variety of ways and I’m sorry to hear about your cousin. So many Americans have been touched by this virus. Before we wrap up, can you tell us how COVID-19 has impacted the amount of work you’re able to do as congresswoman as well as your campaign. How have you cut back?
Hayes: I’ve still been able to work. Fortunately we passed the voting by proxy so I’ve watched the floor and been available for every vote. I’ve continued to sit in my hearings, every single hearing like I always have. I’m hoping that in a post-COVID world as we look at modernizing Congress, that we begin to incorporate some of these measures. What I found was that attendance in committee hearings was up... On the campaign side, I was very worried about being out of commission at such a critical time. But what I’ve seen is that my volunteers have just stepped up. I have double the number of volunteers I had a couple of weeks ago. Fundraising has increased. People are really understanding that I can’t do this by myself that I need them to step in and help me. I’ve already been very careful about in person events. I think now I am just more steadfast in that because it just feels a little irresponsible. We’re in a pandemic. You have to use your imagination and think of different ways to engage people. I have not and I have no one on my team canvassing.
Reporter: When you go back to the Hill, do you think you’ll do things differently?
Hayes: I thought I was really careful anyway. I tried to stay in my apartment and just drive up to the Hill when they called the vote and then go back to my apartment. My staff was already – I only had a few staff members, only when we were in session. I’ve gone to full remote now so maybe we’ll continue to do that. I guess even though we had on mask and I was talking to other members. A huge part of this job is the collaboration and just the collegiality between members. Maybe I’ll just wave and text on my way out as opposed to checking in.