Florida Rep Matt Gaetz refused to say whether he has been vaccinated against Covid-19 as the House reinstates a mask mandate to combat the spread of coronavirus.
“I’m not in favour of it,” Mr Gaetz told The Independent.
The Florida congressman was spotted leaving the House floor without a mask, but was mum about whether he has been vaccinated.
“That’s a very nosy question,” he said.
The House announced it would reinstate a mask mandate on Tuesday evening, which led Republicans to protest.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy criticised House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement as not scientific, which led to her saying “he’s such a moron”.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week issued new guidance about mask wearing – recommending that people wear masks indoors in areas with high transmission rates, regardless of their vaccination status.
However, this recommendation hasn’t well well received by numerous Republicans, with many GOP governors criticising the CDC’s move and suggesting that it is not backed by science.
